WAYS TO STOP SPARROWHAWK ATTACKS IN GARDENS
I’ve received such good ideas from two readers – and here they are
From Garth –
If there are too many attacks try -
- moving the feeders around, regularly
- if possible, don’t concentrate the feeders,
- note the general line of attack and break up the line of flight. I have put in vertical bamboo canes a few inches apart and
- also have individual feeding spots so that an early warning can be given by a solitary feeding bird.
The worst time of the year is when all the young tits are feeding and the hawks have young too, so this is when tactics are important to reduce carnage before your eyes.
I love to see a hawk and it is also a good sign things are right in the bird world as a lack of them means there are problems.
-0-0-
We stopped using our bird table because of sparrowhawks. We placed some feeders in thick bushes but the birds prefer to eat from the ground now. I had not option because the hawk kept lingering around ready to swoop. I was going to use the birdtable again but I thought it may attract the hawk again.
I think they can snatch birds off the ground and that’s why I’ve
- camouflaged the area with various plants and shrubbery so that it would have a hard job getting to the birds. The hawk seems to have gone now that I have done that, I am still wary though.
- I’ve fed birds under the bushes too, especially when it’s really windy which they seem to appreciate.
- There are no cats around so we place the food on ground feeders surrounded by large plants. This has helped a lot.
I would love to put the table back up but the hawk used to wait in the trees and if it happens to fly over it will see them hanging around the table.
From Arlene - April 2010
My bird table has a roof and has been enclosed by my husband on three sides by the largest plastic mesh I could find~ the open side nearest the lounge window.
It took awhile for them to get used to it but they hop through as though it wasn’t there now.
All the little birds hop through the mesh or through the side bits under the roof and the bigger birds such as Blackbirds come round the back.
-
if you want to worry about something, dont worry about how life and nature does, it has always done it long before we were here, worry about what your living is doing to the environment and extinction of species allover the planet, SH for exemple 30 years ago……….in nature animals only kill for living, we are killing, to extinction, just for lyxius living. let natur be alone if you can not love all of it….
on April 4th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
[...] WAYS TO STOP SPARROWHAWK ATTACKS IN GARDENS I’ve received such good ideas from two readers – and… [...]
on June 9th, 2010 at 5:09 pm
All advice on how to keep the sparrow hawk entering our garden and attacking my fantail doves welcolm!!!! Andrew
on October 7th, 2010 at 5:59 pm
I came in last night to find a juvenile sparrowhawk finishing off a collared dove in my back garden. Five minutes later, an adult sparrowhawk had reduced my regular tree sparrows to hiding in a thorny bush in the front garden. I have to say that I knocked on the window to scare it away as I felt responsible for the dove’s demise.
Unfortunately, again tonight I saw the feathers remnant of a kill at the front of my house and I discovered another, barely alive pigeon on the ground outside my front gate. Obviously the subject of another attack. When I went back out again to see if the pigeon was still there 5 minutes later, it had gone. So in two days, one dove and two pigeons have been killed.
I think I shall have to feed my birds in the morning only as I tend to feed about 7.30am and 4.30 – 5pm every night at the front and back of my garden. There is an abundance of wood pigeons, collared doves, tree and house sparrows and other varieties of birds. I am realising that this is really like the ‘serengeti’ for the sparrowhawks as I have encouraged the birds to come at this time to eat the seeds. I also read that if you put the seed in various feeding places rather then in one area at the front/back garden, this might help and also break the ‘hawks line of sight with bamboo canes etc. whilst allowing the feeding birds a clear line of sight.
I also read on the RSPB that the ‘hawks tend to be later risers so I am just going to feed them in the morning now and discourage them in the late afternoon when they are so preoccupied with feeding and easy targets for the ‘hawks. I think it must be mother and daughter sparrowhawks as they are taking the larger birds (could be wrong?) and it looked like the mother was teaching the juvenile how to find food, which is why I might have had the two pigeons go simultaneously tonight.
It was a bit eerie though that they have ‘cottoned’ on to the time that I feed the birds. Probably more that there are just so many birds coming (at least 40 sparrows. 10 pigeons and 8 collared doves).
I will let you know how it goes!
on October 27th, 2010 at 11:55 am
I hope you get some good suggestions, as I am having exactly the same problem, and having seen these doves grow from young (even tell them apart thanks to various markings etc) I would really prefer that they did not get eaten, especially where we can see it happening. I know it’s nature but it is very disturbing! Thanks.
on November 9th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
We have a sparrowhawk at the moment. he feeds at anytime of day from dawn till dusk. I am trying canes at the moment, there are all around the feed stations and crossing the garden in what i have observe to be his flight paths. One site suggested guard n eye balloons tinfoil cd or noisey beads I have not tried these as they will probably keep all the birds away.
on November 12th, 2010 at 4:13 pm
Are the canes helping?
I know this isn’t any good to you at the moment, but sparrowhawks will not fly into prickly hedges. Click this link to find out more. It may help you in the future.
http://birdtablenews.com/2009/03/bird-friendly-tree/
Let me know how you are coming on.
on August 2nd, 2011 at 6:01 pm
I have to contradict the suggestion that they will not fly into prickly hedges.
I have just witnessed a further strike in our sparrow “sanctuary” cottoneaster type prickly tree.
That is the second in a week. Goodness knows how many happen unwitnessed.
Last year there were upwards of 30 sparrows, young and adult, at any time. Now, we are lucky to see more than 6 or 7.
How to stop attacks in roost areas is my main concern.
The hawk just blasts in unnerved by any deterrent I have tried, even us sitting within 8 feet of attacks.
He/she was harassed by a wood pigeon just now, but too late to save the female sparrow. She screamed a bit but to no avail.
We are devastated, having built up the population over the last 16 years.
There are often no signs of sparrows at all, hardly suprising, but we miss them so much.
George.
on August 14th, 2011 at 4:03 pm
That is interesting. I’ve always thought (and been told) that they do not fly into prickly hedges as they dare not – in case they catch any feathers. Which would make it impossible for them to fly and catch prey.
It must be devastating for you.
Songbird Survival are researching and trying to save songbirds with science. http://www.songbird-survival.org.uk/
Take a look as you may want to join them. I think there are more sparrowhawks than there used to be.
on September 14th, 2011 at 8:41 am
I’m hunting for ways to stop these attacks also. I’ve read all your posts here and I’m feeling a bit deflated, but will not rest until I find the right solution!
I’ll try not to bore you all – Yesterday I opened my patio door for the cat to go out and straight away a greenfinch landed on the ground, fluffed it’s feathers-up and went to sleep. Needless to say I shut the door and kept the cat in. I watched the bird a while and it was very happy. A young one. It woke up a little bit later and had a swim, a drink and some food and then left. Today it came back. It was happily drinking from the bird bath. A big bird swooped in. Immediately I thought it was a clumsy wood pigeon. Of course it turned out to be a sparrowhawk and as far as I can tell it got the young bird. The young one was so dopey it would be very unlikely to have got away. Such a waste of a happy little soul.
Like a previous said about the number of birds they used to have – we used to have 50+ tree sparrows every day, feeding, bathing and drinking. Amongst others like the tits and finches. Now we’re lucky to 10 of any variety.
I’m wondering if I just stop encouraging the birds to come to our garden for a while and stop feeding them …
on October 6th, 2011 at 9:54 pm
Hi, I also have the sparrowhawk problem in a medium sized garden in chorley lancs. I was congratulating myself that we had only lost one bird(sparrow) this year until we lost three more in the last week or so. My problem is that I have a flock of 40 odd sparrows and another of 20 odd goldfinches. Along with a few tits that makes for a noisy garden and inevitably attracts the sparrowhawk. For a number of years I have used plastic garden mesh, 50mm hole size, on trellis’ around the feeders. Have seen the hawks splat themselves a couple of times on this. I also use a circle of the mesh around the feeder, hung from an inverted metal hanging basket.Until now this has worked a treat and I have witnessed numerous unsucessful attacks, in one case four in a couple of hours. My feeders are near to thorny cover. However I am considering building a large cage of plastic mesh in the bushes at the back of the border and putting the feeders inside it. At least then the birds wont be caught napping. I havnt tried canes but it seems a good idea. As does spreading the feeders out. Any good ideas anybody esle has I would love to know. Regards billm
on October 9th, 2011 at 7:17 pm
Just witnessed a young sparrow hawk yet again attacking our birds on the feeders on a pole. He wasn’t successful this time he does always fly in screeching his head off and that seems to alert the birds before he can get them, but I don’t know how long this will last. The parent female sparrow hawk is close by too so its like a double problem. So far we have canes around the feeder pole, a balloon with eyes on, and my husband as even increased the over hang on the bird table to make life even more difficult for the hawks. We also have a kestrel in the wooded area behind our garden but he doesn’t seem to bother with the garden so far! At dusk out comes the tawny owl and he’s a joy to watch after the voles etc. I can so sympathise with everyone on this sight who has written about the same problem. We live in a wooded area of yorkshire and always have a huge amount of different birds, but am also concerned they will stop coming in the usual way. Have put food also under cover of shrubs too. I must say the hawk deterrent balloons did seem to help up to today! The ones we have are three different colours-black ,yellow and a white one all with eyes on.It suggests they are alternated every three weeks but today was only 14 days with the black one hung on a pole so have now put the white one up and in 14 days will try the yellow one. We bought them of ebay as they seemed a good idea to try. Will let you know how effective they are….
on October 11th, 2011 at 7:24 am
I would be interested to know if people that read this thread are suffering more than usual with hawks. It seems mine have driven away the large majority of my birds … or eaten them. We’re now lucky to see up to 5. Mostly just 1 or 2 if they are feeling brave. Yesterday, I happened to look out the window from upstairs while getting ready for the day and witnessed another attack. Then I always wonder how many attacks I am not seeing …
If people are reading this for information, please take 2 minutes to add your view.
on October 11th, 2011 at 11:09 pm
Hi, yes I am sure there are more sparrow hawk attacks than a few years ago. The husband of a friend of ours works on a country estate and says they have a large problem with sparrow hawks due to the fact (he thinks)that they are now protected by law. He says the sparrow hawk population is getting out of hand as there are far too many pairs with offspring killing garden birds and even young pheasants and ducks. He also has a problem in his own garden with hawks and says he feels that if they carry on breeding at this rate ,many garden birds such as thrushes and bullfinches will be wiped out in many areas. I know that sparrow hawks have to live too but its heartbreaking for many us who love garden birds, to witness such attacks. Also it does make me wonder how many more times attacks happen un witnessed by us! I have not seen it come on the garden today and hope the white balloon will deter it for a while. The birds seem ok with it , a bit wary at first as the colour of the balloon had dramatically changed from black to white, but happily eating today! The wood pigeon is a bit cautious but did eventually decide to come for food earlier this evening! Sorry to waffle on a bit but I like many people on this sight are deeply concerned in the dramatic rise of the sparrow hawk population and the sad decline of the song and garden bird population compared to a few years ago!Just a final word my uncle kept racing pigeons for many years but lost quite a few to hawk attacks in the air he says having witnessed at least three over his garden. So it seems even racing birds aren’t immune from attacks. He eventually stopped breeding them as it seemed the sparrow hawk had an eye for the most expensive ones! Any how I will let anybody interested know how effective the three different colour hawk eye balloons actually are in the next few weeks …
on October 12th, 2011 at 10:08 am
Now you mention it – as well as the 60+ small birds feeding, we had 3 wood pigeons, 4 collared doves, 2 black birds, 4+ magpies, 2 wood peckers … all gone.
It’s like a ghost town out there.
on October 12th, 2011 at 11:03 am
Hope some of your birds do return as its such a shame. There doesn’t appear to be many woodpeckers etc around at the moment or thrushes and less bullfinches etc around ,only a few juveniles with almost all their adult plumage. There is quite a lot of food available in the woods, hedges etc for them at the moment so hopefully numbers will increase for you in the later part of this month. Of course then comes the problem of increased sparrow hawk attacks so we can’t win. So far not seen either hawk this morning it does usually appear around 10o’clock and 3o’clock in the afternoon when I am around to see it. Goodness knows how many other times in the day it attacks. All we can do is carry on trying to deter it in the various ways we are all trying at the moment. My neighbour came round with 4, ten foot garden canes for me earlier, so will go and strategically place them with everything else later on. Theres not much more I can do other than stop bird feeding which I don’t want to as the birds need food to keep healthy in the winter months and have come to rely on us.Hopefully the hawk might get the message after it has so many obstacles to avoid and go else where – It has stared visiting a neighbour further along the lane !!!
on October 13th, 2011 at 4:15 pm
Hi,We’re all trying our best aren’t we, yet we can’t control nature can we
Please take a look at this link – it is about your comment
http://birdtablenews.com/2011/10/the-short-life-of-a-happy-young-greenfinch/
on October 13th, 2011 at 4:21 pm
Hi Ashley, I think a lot of people are suffering from Hawks.
I know what you mean when you say there must be attacks that we cannot see. I agree when you say if people are reading this for information, please take 2 minutes to add your view.
Song Bird Survival is a group of people who are researching and looking into song bird numbers and how much damage predators do. Why not take a look at their website.
The problem is that so much is out of our control when it comes to wild life
Trisha
on November 3rd, 2011 at 8:57 pm
I had my first encounter with a SH this morning. I looked out the window and saw a blackbird on my childrens trampoline which has a net. I thought it strange that it didnt fly up and out but then noticed a SH flying at the net and then going under the trampoline and flying up at the blackbird. I ran outside as fast as I could. The blackbird looked stressed and tired and the SH didn’t seem bothered that I was there at all. I tried to shu away the SH and help the blackbird escape but sadly knew the chance of him escaping was slim. The SH continued to dive at the bird on the trampoline inches from my head and he was not concerned about me being there at all. Eveltually the black bird escaped the trampoline only to be pusued by the SH. They were both out of sight in our neighbours garden but I’m sure the blackbird didn’t stand a chance! The smaller birds around us have enough problems with m.pies let alone adding a SH to their troubles. I felt totally helpless and am worried this may only be the beginning of our new visiter who has no fear of us humans!
on November 10th, 2011 at 9:07 pm
I live in urban area of a town in Ireland. Have gloried in all the different variety of birds that have been coming to my small garden – plenty of shrubs and thorny trees – and a bank of trees in the garden backing on to mine. Bird song has been wonderful until about three days ago – the birds including two doves did not come for their food either evening or morning. My garden is silent – I saw a sparrow hawk on at least three occasions and I now think the little birds and doves are gone into hiding. I miss them – they were such a joy – including the blackbird and the robin. I hope the hawk goes away again.
on November 22nd, 2011 at 2:58 pm
Have just been searching the internet to find what to do about sparrowhawks in the garden and found your site. I have again witnessed a sparrowhawk kill a dunnock on the patio outside the window. I am in a town, and yet have lost 3 collared doves, two dunnocks and one blue tit to my certain knowledge. How many are killed when we don’t see them? We had lots of birds throughout the spring and summer, but my garden is now silent. For years we have built up our sparrow flock, but now we have about 5. The situation is so distressing, but I will try some of the valuable hints that people have posted.
on November 30th, 2011 at 6:00 pm
Hi all.
I’ve just started to be harassed by sparrowhawks! Well my pigeons have, luckily i’ve not lost any. My birds which are only this years, climbed high above the hawk,who craftily tried to circle above them. On two occasions, i’ve witnessed either seagulls or crows harass the hawk! And on one occasion a hawk chased a pigeon `out of sight, luckily it returned sometime later. Here’s some ideas on how to keep hawks away from your birdtables. Encourage crows to your garden or house roof, these birds will take on both male and females. Another way which a fellow pigeon keeper uses, is to position a large plastic eagle owl on a fence or another suitable place overlooking the birdtable. These birds feed on hawks! At first the others that use the garden will be wary, they soon get use to their plastic guardian. This guy also has a large mirror appro 14×24 inches, which he uses to dazzle the hawks as they harass his birds while they’re flying. Hope these tips have been helpful. One more thing, check the RPRA website, I believe there’s a petition about hawks, these birds are destroying hundreds of racing pigeons worth a small fortune, while leaving feral ones alone!
on February 10th, 2012 at 8:53 pm
I’ve tried the plastic Eagleowl and it seemed to work but only for a week or two. The Sparrowhawk came back again. Will try the mirror.
on February 20th, 2012 at 12:05 am
Gary, Thank you for your tips. It’s so good that readers can help each other.
Julie, where did you get the plastic Eagleowl from.
Let us know how you get on with the mirror
How annoying that the plastic Eagleowl didn’t last longer.
on February 20th, 2012 at 12:06 am
Here are Gary’s tips
From Gary -
Here’s some ideas on how to keep hawks away from your birdtables.
Encourage crows to your garden or house roof, these birds will take on both male and females.
Another way which a fellow pigeon keeper uses, is to position a large plastic eagle owl on a fence or another suitable place overlooking the birdtable. These birds feed on hawks! At first the others that use the garden will be wary, they soon get use to their plastic guardian.
This guy also has a large mirror appro 14×24 inches, which he uses to dazzle the hawks as they harass his birds while they’re flying.
Hope these tips have been helpful. One more thing, check the RPRA website, I believe there’s a petition about hawks, these birds are destroying hundreds of racing pigeons worth a small fortune, while leaving feral ones alone!
on February 20th, 2012 at 12:17 am
I’m so pleased we can help each other in this way.
Gary, I have just realised that maybe the reason I don’t get many sparrowharks in the garden is because we have crows nearby and also a rookery – a very noisy rookery
I know sparrowhawks are in the countryside around us but very rarely see them at the bird table.
I often see crows and rooks circling overhead – never thought until now that they were keeping sparrowhawks away. Thank you
Trisha
on February 22nd, 2012 at 1:16 pm
i.ve seen my first sparrow hawk in my garden today ,as i ,ve had the same small birds coming to feed for quite a while i,ve got to recognise them individually ,and i was distresed to see the hawk hunt and take my smallest blue tit ,i am thinking of removing all my bird feeders from my garden as i am scared to look out of my window incase i see it again as i,ve some one legged and injured birds that come , i even ran out to frighten it off and i could,nt believe that it just looked at me and carried on ,does this mean that it will keep coming back because i would,nt like to be responsible for these beautiful little creatures deaths,does anyone know,thank you
on April 8th, 2012 at 5:34 pm
I’m having a bit of a problem with the SH, we have a large for tree in the garden that a pair of collared doves have successfully nested in for the past few years. Their chicks hatched last week and they were promptly attacked by a SH. My dog scared the hawk away but it was too late for the young. Later the same day the sh came back and took the dead young bird. Now every evening the SH comes back to the doves nest to ambush the adults. Is there any way that I can protect the doves and the other little birds from this monster. It no longer seems scared by the dig or us.