Hawk!

[JDS5607]

We have a hawk (a rather small one, but big enough to take down a sweet dove outside) that lives near our apartment building. We love ALL birds, and we find him beautiful and majestic. HOWEVER! Sully finds him abnoxious... The hawk sits outside on the apartment building opposite our back door. The hawk hasn't spotted Sully yet (atleast I don't think so bc he hasn't come over to visit)... but Sullivan has most certainly spotted him. Whenever the hawk is perched on top of the building, Sully gets so excited, and tries to talk to him through the back door (which is closed because it's coooooold!) ...but the hawk never responds Sullivan has now decided to bark at the hawk everytime he sees him (which I don't know where he got that from, Sully's never seen a dog). Is this okay? I am worried that Sully is stressing out. The hawk only makes an appearance every few days, and Sully is always running back and forth to the back door to see if he is there... I'm worried that Sully is stressed (although he's acting okay). Any ideas?

We believe he is a red-shouldered or a red tailed hawk

[birdhouse]

Really !!??!! We've had a breeding pair of hawks & their offspring around for the past 3 years Even when they're in the house, every one of my birds is very fearful whenever they're within hearing distance. Once the babies fledge, it seems like constant loud, whining, begging to be fed. Luckily, the family moves on a few weeks after that.

 

I guess the good news is, if this hasn't stressed my guys beyond enduring, then I guess Sully's ok. I'm just really stunned to hear that he's trying to get the hawk's attention. My guys do everything they can to hide.

 

Also, as much as I appreciate almost everything in the wild (bugs don't count!) I'm not a big fan of these birds. I've never seen them eat anything but wild birds. They prefer baby birds but I've seen them snatch plenty of adults in flight or otherwise.

 

So, tell Sully it's a really good thing that he's being ignored.

[danmcq]

It sounds like Sully's natural instincts kicked in and over time perhaps he had come to recognize the hawk cannot get to him.

 

Dr. Pepperbergs "Alex", saw a hawk outside through the window, started stressing and immediately started telling her he wanted to "Go Back". Alex never wanted to return to home again after that on encounter. Each bird is different and perhaps the stress has subsided now.

 

When we have Dayo outside, a hawk far off coming our way upsets him and I or kim go over and stand by his cage and console him letting him know we will not let anything happen to him. That happens regularly around here with a huge hawk population. If one flies from the other side of our house and suddenly appears overhead, Dayo's jumps straight to the bottom of his cage and hides.

[Ray P]

Our grey and amazon don`t pay much attention to the hawks.

They will watch them but thats about it.

Hers a pic of one in our backyard

[Lambert58]

We live in hawk/eagle/owl/falcon country.

 

Our GCCs are usually the ones to raise the alarm when they spot a raptor, and the entire flock turtles up inside their respective cages. Long story short: Don't #*&^ with the raptors. There's no benefit and it won't end well.

[Ray P]

Our birds are not outside so they are not in danger. They can see them by looking out a window. They don`t get excited they just watch.

[judygram]

We have hawks here also and I know they see them fly by from the windows but they don't pay much attention to it except for Sunny, she is the one with "eagle eyes" that is always on the lookout and when she spots something she will take flight away. My hubby walked right by a red tailed hawk this summer, it was perched on the fence around our garden and it sit there for a few minutes before it took flight.

[Janfromboone]

Amazing that the hawks you describe are sitting low and not alarmed by your presence. I've only seen hawks in flight . Tobie watches for them. He is very nervous if he sees one even a long way away. We also have alot of crows. They keep the hawks chased away. Tobie isn't too nervous about the crows, but he watches them. It's amazing how they would know to be wary. The instincts are quite strong.

[JDS5607]

Sully seems to not have any instincts about hawks. There are doves that come out to our back porch and sit right at the door and he seems more weary of them than the hawk. Maybe he thinks its another grey? I dunno.

[Ray P]

Corky will sit by the window and make the crow sound. That may be why she is not afraid. I Don`t know but she will watch them fly away and keep making the caw sound!?

[Luvparrots]

My birds are very watchful of all birds flying over head. Whenever I see them look up at the sky, I know that a hawk or other hovering bird is close by. And let's not even talk about crows, it took all fall/winter for Ana Grey to stop cawing like a crow last year, we don't even want to think about going there again!!!!!!