Black swedish ducks and hawks

[cheezenkwackers]

I also live in a suburban subdivision with farms nearby. We have Cooper and Red-tailed hawks. My ducks have been free ranging for five years without incident (although I have found sparrow feathers more than once from Cooper!s hawk kills in my yard). I think one thing that has really helped is the neighbors purple Martin houses. They have two, right next to the property line. I have seen the martin’s attack Red-tailed hawks and Great horned owls who venture too close. The martins are only around in the summer but that is when the raptors are nesting and most desperate for food. So, I would make sure they have shrubs to hide in and put up Martin houses.

 

[Rafnel]

Good to know! I can definitely buy some box shrubs and plant them around. They grow pretty aggressively from my understanding..

 

[Rafnel]

Just ordered some of the scare tape and a decoy owl that has a rotating head off amazon. Hoping some of those will help deter the hawks!!

 

[Gobekli Pepe]

Just ordered some of the scare tape and a decoy hawk that has a rotating head off amazon. Hoping some of those will help deter the hawks!!

I hope it all goes well. Those are some cute little quackers you have there, great photos as well.

I think one thing that has really helped is the neighbors purple Martin houses. They have two, right next to the property line. I have seen the martin’s attack Red-tailed hawks and Great horned owls who venture too close.

Very cool. I've heard crows will do that, but I didn't know martins were so inclined. I wonder if other swallows do as well. I'm not sure what sort I have here, but I'm considering giving them some accommodations now. Even if my scare tape has been flawless so far, it wouldn't hurt to have my own little air force. :^)

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

I set up the metal poles of a seasonal carport (the ones you put a plastic sheet on to cover the car from snow in winter) then put some of that plastic bird netting to cover it. I put it over the pond the ducks use during the day. They have a stronger shelter for the night of course, but birds are my issue during the day. I did not use all the leg pieces on the carport, so it is between 3 feet and 4 feet high, instead I used those pieces to make the shelter longer than it was designed to be.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I HIGHLY recommend finding some way to put up avian netting or a pen. I used to live in a suburban backyard. I found nothing that deterred Coopers hawks. I would sit out with my chickens when they foraged in the yard. I carried a super soaker and had to squirt at hawks a lot. They would sit on the fence and stalk my birds. One swooped at them when I was out there collecting eggs, so I hucked an egg at it. They were relentless! And you may have raccoons, too. We did.

 

[Rafnel]

Ugh jeez that is not good to hear lol. This will definitely be a trial and error thing. I definitely won't free range them alone for a while until I can gauge how bad the hawks are.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Ugh jeez that is not good to hear lol. This will definitely be a trial and error thing. I definitely won't free range them alone for a while until I can gauge how bad the hawks are.

Good idea. You may have zero problems, or you may have a crazy relentless Coopers hawk like I did.

FWIW, it's far worse where I am now in a rural, heavily wooded area. I made my birds a big foraging yard surrounded by electric poultry netting and covered with heavy duty avian netting, and I STILL have to be very vigilant.

 

[Quatie]

There is not a lot that will deter hawks. I have set up a lot of areas for them to hide in. I have pallets screwed together to in an a shape. I have lots of shade cloth and shade sails to provide cover. They also add shade. I have also used branches to make hiding aread. It takes time for plants to grow. I have also sadly found losing a duck to hawk makes them hide more. The main thing I think that keeps the hawks away is other neighbors that don't any thing to protect their birds.

 

[Rafnel]

There is not a lot that will deter hawks. I have set up a lot of areas for them to hide in. I have pallets screwed together to in an a shape. I have lots of shade cloth and shade sails to provide cover. They also add shade. I have also used branches to make hiding aread. It takes time for plants to grow. I have also sadly found losing a duck to hawk makes them hide more. The main thing I think that keeps the hawks away is other neighbors that don't any thing to protect their birds.

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Yeah, I have heard that they are quite smart. I have neighbors with lots of dogs/kids and so I'm also hoping that the activity levels on our left and right will keep hawks away.