Hawks

[Janfromboone]

I have just one concern about taking Tobie out in the yard or on walks with me. Hawks!! I heard a story(not from bird people but from a co-worker)about a hawk actually swooping down and snatching a pet bird (don't know what kind of pet bird) right off the shoulder of the owner. The hawk must have been very hungry or completely brazen. But I do wonder how much I need to be afraid of these preditors with Tobie. I even recently was in the garden planting shrubs and Tobie hung out with me. Walking on the ground and climbing piles of dirt. He was always withing reach of me, but I do worry. Anyone have a scary experience with a hawk or have you lost a bird to a hawk.

[Luvparrots]

I was sitting outside this beautiful afternoon wondering the same thing. Ana Grey was in her travel cage but Sully was on my shoulder and I watched every bird that flew overhead and/or across the sky wondering if a hawk could come down and grab my Sully. I watched him turn his head at every bird flying above and every bird sound around. He was on the lookout and so was I.

[chimaysmommy]

When I was in high school, my mom had a TAG and during the summer/spring she always took the cage outside to do a "big clean" with the garden hose and some bleach solution. The grey would sit on a perch at the window and watch. One day during the first year we had her, a hawk crashed into our window trying to get at her. I've been having various apprehensions about taking Chimay outside myself--hawks, mites, fleas, stray cats (they're ALL OVER our apartment complex at the moment). So yes, hawks are way up there on the fear list for me

[Tycos_mom]

When your outside with your bird keep close eye on her body language she/he will let you know way before you see a preditor bird. I live in a wild bird reserve and we have hundreds of differnt wild birds around Bald eagle and hawks being the majority of these wild birds When i take Adaya out I can always tell if she sees a hawk or an Eagle because she will scramble up to my shoulder and try to hide under my hair. Just like she would with a mama bird she would run and hide under her moms wings and sure enough if I look up there will be a bird circleing.<br><br>Post edited by: Tycos_mom, at: 2009/05/25 21:04

[Luvparrots]

You are so right Pat, I live in a small country town in the State of Washington. We have lots of wild birds including predatory ones. Sully squeezed close to my neck yesterday while we were out and I looked up to see a large winged bird above. He was certainly more watchful than me.

[Eckobird]

Yes Pat is exactly right! When I go outside with Ecko and he sees a predator bird he does the same thing Adaya does, scrambles up my arm and tries to hide. They will be the first to let you know they are scared of a predator. Just be careful and always look around. I take Ecko outside everyday and I haven't had any problems yet (knock on wood).

[Janfromboone]

Thanks for your comments. Tobie spends alot of time turning his head skyward as well and I keep looking around. They are instinctive about preditory birds aren't they. I think it is so important for them to be familiar with how things look and sound and feel outside. I think it might be worth the risk. I'm hoping that if Tobie ever finally grows his wing feathers in and becomes flighted that he won't be too disoriented if he should get outside some way. He will at least know what the outside of his home and his yard looks like.

[nanmadpad]

You all should be very concerned taking your birds outside Hawks are extremly fast and can snatch your bird before you can react. Coopers hawks are ambush hunters and sit in a tree and watch,when they see what they want there like lightning. I know because we have many hawks here and i watched them come out of nowhere and attack the doves in my yard. Bogart the cag in Florida was snatched off his t-stand by a young hawk and he was in a screened enclosure. The hawk got in by a baseball size hole. Bogart was dropped by hawk and owner took him to vet where he was treated for a broken neck and compresses vertabra. Thankfully hes now doing fine. BE CAREFUL'''