A hawk landed on our patio railing!

[Lil Sis]

oh my... glad you are aware now!!!

I was looking out our back window.. we live on a small lake in south florida.. and I saw one "fishing" ! It gave me chills. I am careful and don't let them out in our postage size yard without being there but still.......

[dawn27]

What a fright you must of had. To see it right outside your door and so close to your babies, Yikes !

I myself would have grabbed the camera and tool some photos. I think they are amazing animals. We have them near our home here in the suburbs of Ohio but not no twenty pounders..thats crazy. They have been thriving and multiplying ever since the city built some nesting boxes for a breeding pair a top of our city building where they were spotted years ago. They even set up cameras and monitored them. It was very interesting to see when they aired it on a Tv.

[Minniesmthr]

I have trouble here with Cooper's Hawks. They usually go after the Doves at our feeders and they make me SOOO mad. I am not putting feed out to draw in a breakfast buffet for them.

One was sitting on the back fence when I saw it from the back porch. I screamed at it (yes, I know my neighbors all think I am crazy) and instead of flying away in fear, it flew right at me, not in the least bit scared.

I did see a big Red-tailed Hawk flying low over my next door neighbor's house. Now, that Hawk is big enough to catch rabbits, so I assume it could grab a little dog. When I get my new Yorkie, I don't think I will let it out alone...

Cathie

[mimimomo]

Originally Posted by dawn27

What a fright you must of had. To see it right outside your door and so close to your babies, Yikes !

I myself would have grabbed the camera and tool some photos. I think they are amazing animals. We have them near our home here in the suburbs of Ohio but not no twenty pounders..thats crazy. They have been thriving and multiplying ever since the city built some nesting boxes for a breeding pair a top of our city building where they were spotted years ago. They even set up cameras and monitored them. It was very interesting to see when they aired it on a Tv.

The thought of taking a pic did enter my mind, but I didn't want the hawk to see my fur babies sitting there...my instincts just kicked in & I had to shoo it away. They are majestic beautiful birds, but it's still a bird of prey!
Was looking on google images & it might've been a red tailed hawk. According to wikipedia, a female can weigh up to 4.4#'s. Mimi is 7#'s & the hawk was almost twice as big. Maybe it looked so big to me bc it was so close. 20#'s would be a big turkey loll!

[gracielove]

I looked in a book of birds of the north east to see if I could find the big hawks that sometimes hang around here and could not find anything that was as big as these things have been. I know birds don't weigh much but the length of those described did not coincide. We do have some eagles several miles away on a mountain further away from civilization. Maybe the young ones wander over here now and then. It is just so startling to see such huge birds after seeing regular sized birds at the feeders for so long. We do have morning doves around her that are ground feeders that might attract prey birds.

[Connie]

That is scary seeing that large hawk so close to your door and your babies. Be really careful...they can sneak up on a person so quickly. I'm glad your babies don't go outside in that area!

[maggiefromnj]

My girl is 10 pounds. I do keep an eye out but I let her out to potty at night in her little fenced area. Does anybody know what size the typical hawk or owl can fly away with. I'm thinking she's a little big. We had a hawk on our railing once and I got his picture. It's hard to judge when he is sitting, but he looks small enough not to be able to fly with her. I know they look much bigger while flying.

[ironmike86]

Originally Posted by maggiefromnj

My girl is 10 pounds. I do keep an eye out but I let her out to potty at night in her little fenced area. Does anybody know what size the typical hawk or owl can fly away with. I'm thinking she's a little big. We had a hawk on our railing once and I got his picture. It's hard to judge when he is sitting, but he looks small enough not to be able to fly with her. I know they look much bigger while flying.

Red tail haks are the biggest in North America. They average ~ 3-4 lbs. The won't pick more than 1/2 there weight. But they can kill and munch on it on the ground.

[Lap Princess]

There are no birds of prey in North America that weigh 20 lbs., LOL! The heaviest largest is the golden eagle and a larger female can push 15 lbs. And that's not very common. A large female red-tailed hawk may get close to 3 lbs. Same for a great horned owl.

Having said that, they can look HUGE, like they weigh far more than they actually do. And yorkie look like a snack to a large buteo. Sharp-shinned, Cooper's hawks go after birds, and wouldn't take a small dog.

Glad you're babies are okay!! Keep your eyes peeled.

[dawn27]

Not sure what kind we have here, but they live close and feast on birds in between mine and my neighbors houses, less than 25 feet away from where the dog run is. I think that my dogs would kill one before they had a chance to do any harm.

Now your little one that a different story. Smaller pups to a hawk probebly look like Dinner. I can conpleatly understand your reaction !

[yorkiemini]

Please, please don't underestimate those hawks! The one that attacked Cali weighed in at around 5.5 pounds. It had a hugh wing span. My vet, who lives in the country, says they will go after varmints that weigh as much as 8 pounds - may not be able to get them off the ground but will kill and eat them.

[mimimomo]

Originally Posted by yorkiemini

Please, please don't underestimate those hawks! The one that attacked Cali weighed in at around 5.5 pounds. It had a hugh wing span. My vet, who lives in the country, says they will go after varmints that weigh as much as 8 pounds - may not be able to get them off the ground but will kill and eat them.

I could've sworn that the one I saw was HUGE (but maybe not 20#'s loll). It didn't seem 3-5#'s to me, that's why I was so shocked. Are they getting bigger or they're just eating well?
Princess & Momo are almost 5#'s & this hawk was about 3 x's bigger than them!

[LILBIT1]

wow! Ive had a hawk and an owl sit on power lines above my house and watch pup. I shot the hose in their general direction and off they flew. Also have alot of koyotes here.

[gracielove]

It's true that even if the hawk or eagle cannot lift an animal off the ground those talons can rip an animal apart very quickly. Birds generally don't weigh a lot but the hunting birds are very strong. Just a few talon wounds on a small dog could kill it.

They generally will not attack near a human unless there is a small animal nearby that they think they can get to.

[ironmike86]

Originally Posted by mimimomo

I could've sworn that the one I saw was HUGE (but maybe not 20#'s loll). It didn't seem 3-5#'s to me, that's why I was so shocked. Are they getting bigger or they're just eating well?
Princess & Momo are almost 5#'s & this hawk was about 3 x's bigger than them!

Just the way birds are made. Whe I first saw a Blue heron. I woke up from a nap and thought wtf is that? A Pterodactyl?? They are ~4ft tall wing span of 7ft and they only weight ~6lbs. Look huge flying overhead. When you never see or heard of one before.