Hawk Alert

Kflowers

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Our living room has sliding glass doors in it. I've recently begun opening the curtains for Sweet Gum and throwing out some bird food to give her something to watch. She likes the squirrels best.

I'd given Sweet Gum her dinner in the middle of the living room floor. I was standing a couple of feet to her right. All of a sudden there was a boom, like when a large branch hits the deck. SG froze.The window was rattling. I went to look. Not a branch, but a Hawk that was 16 inches high was standing by the glass door. He was as big as SG, though I expect she weighs more. Judging by where he was standing and the way things bounce off the glass door, the hawk was aiming for Sweet Gum.

I think if you're making a catio you might want to take hawks hitting the side of the catio into consideration. And you might want to leave the curtains closed over sliding glass doors during the day. I don't think they'll break, but mine certainly wobbled. Sweet Gum decided to watch from the furthest corner, behind the curtain. I think this means she was and is afraid the hawk might come through the window. I'm definitely disturbed by it.

Pollen continues here.
 

Furballsmom

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This is very timely, thanks for posting this.

We came home the other day to witness the last few minutes of a hawk in our back yard finishing its meal of pigeon, and someone posted about a puppy that was dropped on a golf course by a bird of prey. They are such opportunistic birds, and when they're hungry just about everything looks good.
 

basschick

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we had a similar experience with a very large owl years ago.

i would think that hawks could get through the regular mesh used over average windows - something to consider when making a catio. we have hawks all over the place, and they seem pretty powerful although i've seen groups of three or four crows fight them off a few times.
 
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Kflowers

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I'm just going by if the birds and squirrels aren't on the deck the hawk is there. When I had three 50 lb dogs, if a hawk was near them they would go quiet and still. The neighbor's mini-schnauzer tried to climb her mom.

I'm positive a hawk couldn't carry a 50 lb dog off, but I expect the attack would be an expensive vet bill.
 
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Kflowers

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basscat basscat , if you or Furballsmom Furballsmom can do the math, I'm figuring that diving out of the sky toward your target increases hawk's weight and pound mass when it hits. And in this case hits the sliding glass doors first. That's why I'm keeping the curtains closed so it looks like a wall. I've had them closed for a couple of years due to heat/cold, so much for trying to be cheery.
 

DreamerRose

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I had a hawk once crash into some recently cleaned windows. They can't see the glass and think they can fly through. I went outside to see what happened, and the hawk stumbled out of the shrubs, shaking its head. He was kind of wobbly for a while, but finally flew off. My clean window had a dusty X mark on it for a long time.

Since then, I've replaced the windows and had grilles put in them. The birds can see that. Birds crashing into skyscrapers is a big problem - for the birds, not the buildings.

I'm not sure the hawk was going after Sweet Gum, but anything is possible.
 

Furballsmom

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...we were posting at the same time lol

Was the hawk still able to fly? I'd say most definitely, the impact with the glass was plenty hard, especially if it was head on/direct rather than a glancing blow.

I'm wondering if our hawk meister actually was chasing a small bird that was eating the food you'd put out...

What if you used translucent temporary window stick ons? They wouldn't have to cover the entire window glasd, you'd save other birds from hitting the sliders and you'll still gain a view for Sweet Gum as well as light for you :)
 

FeebysOwner

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The hawks down here don't seem to go after anything but the easy prey - that being the poor mourning doves that come to my yard to feed from the bird feeder. Those doves are just no match. Over the years, I have at least one or two incidences every year where I either see the hawk take down a mourning dove, or find their feathers left behind in my yard. The rest of the birds know how to get out of their way (albeit one poor visiting northern finch a few years back).

The squirrels are mindful of them, but because there are so many squirrel nests around, they will work hard - and succeed - in chasing off the hawks.

Too much going on for them to even entertain my chubby cat on the patio. Hope it stays that way!!
 
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Kflowers

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Instead of stickers or the like, my glass doors are covered with pollen, that is there is a sort of yellow green film over the doors. It would be suitable for underwater pictures. years ago when I cleaned the windows we lost a sparrow on them. I hung an owl kite in one and dropped a lanai shade over the other. Then I let the pollen etc collect on the doors. This is the first crash since then. *

However, I'm flattered that DreamerRose DreamerRose assumed I had cleaned them enough to mistake for not there windows. No, don't deny it, I'm going to tell Sis. :D

*There was a robin who keep attacking his image in the bedroom window. I even painted that window white and he still kept at it. Eventually, he left.
 

DreamerRose

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...we were posting at the same time lol

Was the hawk still able to fly? I'd say most definitely, the impact with the glass was plenty hard, especially if it was head on/direct rather than a glancing blow.

I'm wondering if our hawk meister actually was chasing a small bird that was eating the food you'd put out...

What if you used translucent temporary window stick ons? They wouldn't have to cover the entire window glasd, you'd save other birds from hitting the sliders and you'll still gain a view for Sweet Gum as well as light for you :)
That's an excellent idea. There are some nice ones available for just that purpose.

Our hawks go after mice and rabbits, thank goodness. We had a population explosion of rabbits for awhile, and the hawks thinned it down.
 
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Kflowers

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Yes, the hawk was still able to fly. If he was chasing a small bird it got away. At least it wasn't on the deck or in his talons. I can't find the owl kite now, of course. which is probably just as well as it might frighten the other birds.

Sweet Gum seems content to look around the edges of the curtain. And, since the curtain seems to have prevented birds hitting the windows, I guess we'll stick with that until we get the shades put up....

however, it does seem like a good excuse to buy butterfly decals -clings.
 

FeebysOwner

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Even the dorky (vain?) titmice (titmouses?) who tap on anything that gives them a reflection of themselves aren't so engrossed as to be caught by the hawks. They are on car windows/mirrors, my windows (which aint' that clean either, btw), back side of spot lights that are metal, etc. you name it!
 

basscat

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basscat basscat , if you or Furballsmom Furballsmom can do the math, I'm figuring that diving out of the sky toward your target increases hawk's weight and pound mass when it hits. And in this case hits the sliding glass doors first. That's why I'm keeping the curtains closed so it looks like a wall. I've had them closed for a couple of years due to heat/cold, so much for trying to be cheery.
ME? Do Math?? :flail::flail::flail::flail::flail:
Saw a hawk plaster a cardinal in mid air right in front of me once. A resounding THUD, red feathers floating down, and the hawks flight path never deviated, never skipped a beat, just kept going....cardinal and all.
But a cat? I've often wondered on an "unsuspecting" cat. I really doubt a hawk can carry off anything over a couple of lbs...if even that. They could sure do some talon damage trying though. BUT yes, a hawk will go after a cat....probably anything rabbit size or smaller. WHICH, really surprises me...Top notch vision combined with a pea sized brain I guess?
I say that because I caught our little black hunter girl making a meal out of a hawk once. And I'm pretty sure she didn't sneak up on it. Pretty much only one way to snag a hawk. I guess all those diving blue jays were just practice for the main event. :lol: (and she's probably not 7lbs soaking wet)
 

basscat

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As for an owl? Huge and capable, but, about as smart as a guinea. Guinea will roost in trees at night. An owl will kill every single one of them and never get a meal. Fly in and hit one hard enough to kill it, knock it out of the tree, and then can't find it. The remaining guineas won't flea. They just sit there and watch the show. Of course, eventually they are next.....the owl won't quit.
 
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Kflowers

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basschick

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basscat basscat , if you or Furballsmom Furballsmom can do the math, I'm figuring that diving out of the sky toward your target increases hawk's weight and pound mass when it hits. And in this case hits the sliding glass doors first. That's why I'm keeping the curtains closed so it looks like a wall. I've had them closed for a couple of years due to heat/cold, so much for trying to be cheery.
basscat basscat I'd like to see a hawk try to take on Gibs. :lol:
basscat - is that my new board name? :D
 
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