Broad-Winged Hawk- A threat???

[77horses]

UPDATE: I suspect that the hawk I've been seeing around here is actually a Broad-Winged Hawk...The description and call matches it anyway. Do you think it could be a threat to our free-ranging chickens???? Thanks!

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At my mom's house, we're going to get some chickens and build a chicken coop this upcoming week. And so I've been thinking about predators...I haven't noticed any except for a pair or more of Sparrow Hawks, also known as the American Kestrel, who fly around here everyday (except for when the crows/blue jays chase them away). The Kestrel isn't very big compared to other hawks/falcons (it's a little larger than a blue jay), but could it still fly away with an adult standard chicken? I know it could most likely take away a baby chick or a younger chicken if it wanted to. We plan on letting our chickens free range (who will be younger when we get them) and I'm worried about the pairs of Kestrels around here. Any thoughts? Should I worry about them or not?


Thanks!


Here's what an American Kestrel looks like...They really are beautiful birds, in my opinion.

But I would hate to lose any chickens to one.

According to http://www.oregonzoo.org/Cards/BirdsOfPrey/americankestrel.htm, this is the usual diet of the American Kestrel:

DIET:

Prey consists mostly of small rodents, reptiles, insects, and an occasional small bird hence the common name of “Sparrowhawk. American Kestrels have been photographed killing prey as large as a wood rat!

 

[sourland]

Kestrels are great to have around. They are primarily rodent and large insect eaters. If they are nesting in the area, they will chase away more dangerous hawks such as Cooper's and sharp-shins.

 

[jjthink]

You should have no worries with kestrels. Beautiful little beings....
JJ

 

[NurseELB]

They probably won't be able to take off with a larger bird, but I wouldn't put it past 'em to go after the babies. They are good for keeping away the larger predators, though. Keep the babies covered until they are mostly grown and things should be fine.

 

[77horses]

Quote:
That's good to know! After looking at the pictures, they really don't look that big as I see them when they fly by in the trees.

Actually, now that I think about it......I just looked up some Cooper's Hawk pictures and it actually might be that than a Kestrel, unfortunately.

One time I was outside in the afternoon, when I saw the suspected Cooper's Hawk or Kestrel fly into a tree really close by. It looked pretty big to me. Not like the size of a Kestrel when I look at the images.

 

[Opa]

I chick more that a couple of days old would not be on a kestrels menu. In my many years afield I have seen thousands of kestrels. Most that I saw were eating grasshoppers though I have seen a few with mice and voles and once saw one take a sparrow.

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

Kestrels are REALLY small for birds of prey. I'm now volunteering at aubodon, a birds of prey center here in Florida. I work with the kestrels occasionally and I think the large ones stand about 8-10 inches tall. I'd be more worried about an adult chicken killing as kestrel...but they can take chicks that are under 1-2 weeks.

 

[77horses]

OK so now I'm stumped because at first I thought it was a Kestrel flying around, now when I look up what they sound like, it doesn't match what I hear (which is a long, drawn out, "Eeeee!" sound, like an Eagle). I looked up the sounds of a Cooper's Hawk and Sharp-Shinned Hawk as well, but they don't match what I've heard.

Any ideas???

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

Also, if your seeing cooper's hawk you might be in trouble. Birds are it's favorite food.

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

Quote:
Hmm...are you sure it's a bird of prey?