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For sure, fall at least in the northern hemisphere is definitely a period of heightened hawk activity. It’s rare for me to have any issues with them at all from spring-end of summer and then it ramps up fast by October, continuing into the spring.

There’s a variety of factors, young hawks born this year are now fully independent from their parents, some will be struggling for food as  bird populations generally decrease locally with migration and the halt in breeding. Additionally, many of these hawks migrate (broad-winged and red shouldered will fly south) and the juvenile hawks born this year will also be moving around looking for new territories.

And yes, the hawks will absolutely slam the wire and try to get the birds inside. A few winters ago I went out to my loft and saw blood splattered all over the snow, I was fearing the worst and expecting one of my pigeons to be dead inside, mangled by the hawk. All I found was a bloodied, snapped off hawk talon on the outside of the wire and some shaken up pigeons inside. Birds of prey seem to get VERY dialed in when they’re chasing potential prey, and the Cooper’s hawk in particular (which is probably what’s taking your birds) is a seemingly reckless creature. This is one reason hawks and owls get hit with cars in such frequency compared to other birds.