It was a hawk!

[mimimomo]

I'm in Fullerton, CA right now where Turbo & Princess lives w/my aunt & when we went for a walk, I noticed a pile of bird feathers on the grass. 1st thought I had was 'who or what could've done this? poor birdie!'
Couple days later, I noticed more bird feathers & there it was, right on the side walk...the predator! It was a hawk, a juvenile one I think as it was just a little bit bigger than the pigeon it was holding down w/ it's sharp claws. It kept it's gaze on us looking very regal & we crossed the street as I didn't want to disturb it. lolll
I googled it & it looks exactly like this, except it had both claws on the pigeon: Sharp-shinned Hawk

I wasn't worried that it (or other birds of prey) might get Princess or Turbo (if they were in their back yard) because they go barking after butterflies, birds & lizards, anything that moves really. They're VERY prey driven. But I'll still tell my aunt to not let them go out there unsupervised...cuz u just never know!

[rubymoon2072]

true that last thing i wanna see is a hawk snacking on my furr baby. i never leave mine alone as you just never know. glad it was busy with the pigeon and didnt give you a bother.

[Yorkiemom1]

These are predator birds and if given the opportunity, the WILL take your baby, right out of your yard...I had it happen to me so I can tell you first hand, it is a reality and it is terrifying...You had better be concerned over looing the dogs to this hawk...if it is young, there is a family living close in the area, and they are hunting!

[Maximo]

Definitely tell your aunt to be careful. My neighbor's yorkie, who is bigger than my boys, was attacked by a hawk. Granted, it was the second largest hawk variety in the US. He survived after a lot of surgery.

[Trishe]

There are two hawks that hang around my area and I freak out at the thought of one of them getting my dog. I don't let him out unsupervised at all. It's so scary...

[BiewerYorkie]

When we had our 15 year old Hairless Chinese Crested was PTS a while back, we had decided NO MORE DOGS. I am nearing 65 and have a chronic autoimmune disease among other health problems. My husband is 6 years younger than I am but has been legally blind since birth. BUT, as my DH knew, after a while I wanted another dog. So, we decided to rescue a adult Japanese Chin since they really are great little dogs.

We ran into all kinds of problems with rescues because we do not have a fenced in yard. A lot of them would rather have a dog in foster care forever than break a rule that isn't that big of a deal anyhow. So we decided to go puppy hunting and that's how we ended up with Zachary (I have always wanted a Yorkie).

What is scary is that a dog out in a fenced yard running free is more likely to be bird food than one that is closely held on a leash like ours are (the two that potty outside). I know a hawk or owl (we have tons of owls here but lots of thick trees in our yard) could scoop him up anyhow, even on a leash, but I could fight back.

I love my furbabies and their safety comes first. They would probably run if we had a fenced in yard but I sure would keep my eyes and ears open.

I read yesterday that someone had their Yorkie out in their yard and someone shot it through the fence. NOBODY OR NOTHING is safe out there anymore...so sad.

Louise

[Trishe]

Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1

These are predator birds and if given the opportunity, the WILL take your baby, right out of your yard...I had it happen to me so I can tell you first hand, it is a reality and it is terrifying...You had better be concerned over looing the dogs to this hawk...if it is young, there is a family living close in the area, and they are hunting!

This happened to you? How terrible.

[Yorkiemom1]

Originally Posted by Trishe

This happened to you? How terrible.

Years ago, I had my Chi scooped up from my back yard, in daylight (around 6pm), within 10 feet of me, by an owl, another predator bird. That is the most helpless, horrible feeling I have ever had in my life...I couldnt even move as I watched that BIRD carry my precious little Christy off, her struggling to get free and LOOKING BACK AT ME FOR HELP!!!! I have NEVER forgotten that, I NEVER will get that heartbreaking sight out of my mind. No one had ever told me BIRDS carry dogs off from a neighborhood...I didnt know owls were out before dark....my husband said it was a hawk...I dont know for sure which it was, all I still see is splotched dark and grey feathers, HUGE wing span, and long black talons.....that was way back early 70's, and I have been on high alert about terror from the skys every day since then. I have had hawks and owls dive at my dogs in the back yard here...I do not live in a rural area! I used to have a hawk sit on my fence and stare at my back door, just waiting for me to put my babies outside! I finally got animated owls and hung them all over the back yard...that seemed to scare the hawks off, as I have not seen any lately....but my dogs are not ever out alone, off leash....I even called the Houston Zoo and spoke with one of the bird experts there...I wanted to know if hawks and owls saw color....she said yes, and she told me those little dogs look like rabbits....so I put neon orange vests on them when they are outside.....and she continually cautioned me that these birds are protected by the State of Texas and I can be fined or do jail time if I shoot one.

[celstu1]

Hawks are here too, twice I have had to scoop up my babies and run them inside because the Hawk swooped down too low to the ground for my comfort. Poor babies though, they had to stay inside because that hawk screamed for 2 hours afterwards from the sky so I was not letting them back outside. I'm sure the poor things didn't understand why they couldn't come out in the pool with Mommy! Oh well... better safe than sorry!

[mimimomo]

Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1

Years ago, I had my Chi scooped up from my back yard, in daylight (around 6pm), within 10 feet of me, by an owl, another predator bird. That is the most helpless, horrible feeling I have ever had in my life...I couldnt even move as I watched that BIRD carry my precious little Christy off, her struggling to get free and LOOKING BACK AT ME FOR HELP!!!! I have NEVER forgotten that, I NEVER will get that heartbreaking sight out of my mind. No one had ever told me BIRDS carry dogs off from a neighborhood...I didnt know owls were out before dark....my husband said it was a hawk...I dont know for sure which it was, all I still see is splotched dark and grey feathers, HUGE wing span, and long black talons.....that was way back early 70's, and I have been on high alert about terror from the skys every day since then. I have had hawks and owls dive at my dogs in the back yard here...I do not live in a rural area! I used to have a hawk sit on my fence and stare at my back door, just waiting for me to put my babies outside! I finally got animated owls and hung them all over the back yard...that seemed to scare the hawks off, as I have not seen any lately....but my dogs are not ever out alone, off leash....I even called the Houston Zoo and spoke with one of the bird experts there...I wanted to know if hawks and owls saw color....she said yes, and she told me those little dogs look like rabbits....so I put neon orange vests on them when they are outside.....and she continually cautioned me that these birds are protected by the State of Texas and I can be fined or do jail time if I shoot one.

Ohh! How horrifying, so sorry you & your dh had to go through this.
I remember a story awhile back that was posted here on YT about a Chi that was carried away by a predatory bird (can't remember what it was) & fell a mile or so but miraculously survived. Gives me chills thinking about it.

The hawks don't live in the residential area, but the hills surrounding it. They come into the community to hunt. I read up on the development research online to see if they had any other larger predatory birds & didn't see any...now that you mention owls, they did have a few different species. Thanks for the bolded info.

[lovespandp]

That's scary!!


Peanut almost got swooped up by a hawk a couple years ago- Very Scary!!

[yorkietalkjilly]

If a Yorkie is busy sniffing a tidbit thrown into its yard or otherwise engaged & not paying attention, a hungry bird of prey can swoop out of the air & take them before they have any chance to bark or anything. Birds of prey can see from so far & spot the dog from way, way up & swoop right down in a heartbeat & are gone with your dog. I wouldn't assume even barky, prey-driven Yorkies are ever safe when out in the yard.

[bijoux1]

I too had a huge scare with a hawk!! My dogs woke me up and needed to go outside the other night. It was very late. I was walking on the sidewalk and heard something looked up and saw rather large wings swooping down.... I panicked and instantly screamed at the top of my lungs. My dogs were on the leash two feet in front of me,and I threw my arms up and down screaming running towards them. Just as quickly as it was swooping down, it immediately went back up..but it was letting out these loud call sounds.

I immediately felt like an idiot thinking I had probably just woken half of my street over nothing, and I scooped my babies up and ran inside. I convinced myself that I had overreacted and that it wasn't a hawk. I thought maybe it had been one of the ducks from the lake across the street or some other kind of bird bc my lovely bf thought I was nuts.

Fast forward to this week, and again I hear these calling out sounds from several birds as we start down the street, and then I saw another bird above us, and now I am convinced it is hawks. I looked up their call on the internet and sure enough that is exactly what I am hearing.

Now I am petrified to go outside with my dogs at all. My little girl is only a little over 2.5 pounds, and my little boy is only a little over 4 pounds. I also worry for the dog I have here as a foster who is 7 pounds. I know 7 pounds seems too big for them to pick up, but I have read that they can pick up as much as 8 pounds. I really am petrified to go outside with them now as I feel like we are being watched.

I really don't know what I would do if one did swoop down and grab them because even with a leash, I fear that their talons alone could probably cause fatal injuries.

[msyorktown]

This is sooo scary...I live in a residential area...all of the trees have been cut down to make room for a new sub-division but it was all forest when I moved here...I saw the occasional hawk/falcon, not sure which. I had a larger sheltie at the time, so didn't worry too much...now I will be on high alert! My pups are never left outside unsupervised even though i have a fenced yard. I didn't know owls are predators...learn something new everyday....wow.

[bijoux1]

Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1

Years ago, I had my Chi scooped up from my back yard, in daylight (around 6pm), within 10 feet of me, by an owl, another predator bird. That is the most helpless, horrible feeling I have ever had in my life...I couldnt even move as I watched that BIRD carry my precious little Christy off, her struggling to get free and LOOKING BACK AT ME FOR HELP!!!! I have NEVER forgotten that, I NEVER will get that heartbreaking sight out of my mind. No one had ever told me BIRDS carry dogs off from a neighborhood...I didnt know owls were out before dark....my husband said it was a hawk...I dont know for sure which it was, all I still see is splotched dark and grey feathers, HUGE wing span, and long black talons.....that was way back early 70's, and I have been on high alert about terror from the skys every day since then. I have had hawks and owls dive at my dogs in the back yard here...I do not live in a rural area! I used to have a hawk sit on my fence and stare at my back door, just waiting for me to put my babies outside! I finally got animated owls and hung them all over the back yard...that seemed to scare the hawks off, as I have not seen any lately....but my dogs are not ever out alone, off leash....I even called the Houston Zoo and spoke with one of the bird experts there...I wanted to know if hawks and owls saw color....she said yes, and she told me those little dogs look like rabbits....so I put neon orange vests on them when they are outside.....and she continually cautioned me that these birds are protected by the State of Texas and I can be fined or do jail time if I shoot one.

Also, I'm so extremely sorry this happened to you!! I just can't imagine how terrible that would feel!! It's so unexpected. Thank you for the information. Right now I'm too scared to even let them in the fenced backyard which I hate because one of their favorite things is their scheduled outside time every day....and they can't figure out why we aren't going out there. But, this experience thoroughly freaked me out.