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HAWKS AND BACKYARD BIRDS
QUESTION
Recently, all our birds disappeared from our bird feeders. There was a hawk in our backyard. I haven't seen it for a while though. Could that be the reason?
ANSWER
There are two kinds of hawks, Sharp-shinned Hawks and Cooper's Hawks, that occasionally come to bird feeding areas and try to catch birds. Birds may be wary and not visit the feeders as much at that time. In general, these hawks will move on to a new location once the birds are wary and you should see the birds return.
Make sure your bird habitat includes areas of cover, such as dense evergreen trees or shrubs 10 to 20 feet from the feeder so that birds can hide if a hawk arrives. This will make the birds more comfortable and give them safety even if a hawk is in the area. For more on creating good bird habitat, watch Episode 103 of the Stokes Birds At Home TV series.
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