What can I do about hawks preying on songbirds at my feeder?

Millions of North Americans feed and watch birds. It is one of the fastest growing national pastimes. A natural consequence of feeding birds - which creates a high concentration of prey species in a given area - is that predators arrive. There are many different predators of songbirds, and raptors (birds of prey) are among them. It is not an uncommon occurrence to see a raptor swoop in and catch a sparrow or other small bird.

Some of the more common raptors that have adapted to human encroachment on their habitat, and are therefore seen in and around the cities and suburbs, are Cooper's hawks, sharp-shinned hawks, red-tailed hawks, American kestrels, great horned owls, and barred owls. Many concerned individuals call The Raptor Center to find out how to rid their yard of these natural predators.

The first and most important fact is that it is illegal to harm, harass, or otherwise disturb raptors. The Migratory Bird Act of 1918 protects all North American raptors. Depending on the species and the severity of the act, fines can amount to $25,000 and/or jail time. It is even illegal to disturb a nest, occupied or not, or have a feather from a native migratory bird in your possession.

The best solution to this problem is to accept that a hawk eating an occasional songbird is a natural behavior and part of the cycle of life. The raptor is just doing what is necessary to survive. Life is generally difficult for raptors; 60 to 80 percent do not make it past their first year of life. If they do survive to adulthood, it is still a tough world. Raptors that eat mammals only succeed in capturing prey about 20 percent of the time.

This success rate drops drastically for raptors eating birds. Birds are some of the most difficult prey items to catch. Studies have shown that bird-eating raptors only succeed in catching prey about 7.6 percent of the time. Lack of success in hunting can mean the difference between life and death for any predator.

Even though watching a raptor kill a songbird may be upsetting to a dedicated bird-watcher, songbirds, like many prey species, generally have higher numbers of offspring, which helps ensure their overall survival. Many diurnal (day-active) raptors have only one to three offspring per season, whereas a house sparrow may have up to three clutches of eggs with as many as eight eggs in each clutch. In addition, there is some evidence that raptors such as hawks may catch a higher percentage of weak, diseased, and inexperienced birds simply because they are easier to catch. In doing so, they help keep the remaining population healthier.

Often, a bird-watcher is concerned by the increase of raptors preying on birds in the late summer. At this time of year, many raptors are working overtime to feed their chicks. Again, the best solution is to wait it out. The young raptors generally leave the nest when they are approximately 30 days old, depending on the species. Many native raptors will then migrate south for the winter.

There are a few things that can be done without harming or harassing raptors:

• The simplest solution is to disrupt the feeding pattern created by the bird feeders. Disrupting the feeding pattern and forcing both the songbirds and the raptor to hunt elsewhere may provide a solution. If the raptor is hunting the area frequently, remove all bird feeders for approximately two weeks. The removal of the food Although the songbirds will disperse, more birds will source should cause the songbirds to disperse and look elsewhere for food. The raptor will then need to search elsewhere for food as well. Although the songbirds will disperse, they will find the feeders again when they are replaced. By then, the raptor may have found a different hunting area and may not return. However, it is also possible that the raptor or a different one may return and the process will need to be repeated.
• Another solution is to plant shrub species native to your area in the vicinity of the feeder. This will provide songbirds quick access to cover if a raptor dives in. It is important that the shrub not be placed in a way that it provides ground cover for domestic cats that roam free. Estimates of the number of songbirds killed annually by domestic and feral cats range in the millions! Most birds are not equipped to deal with this non-native predator. There is a chance that a domestic cat and not a raptor is the one scaring the songbirds away from your feeders. Check the ground for feline footprints.
• Finally, it is possible to separate the raptor from the songbirds by building a large mesh enclosure for your bird feeders. There are a number of bird feeders on the market that have wire mesh cages surrounding the feeder itself. This solution provides protection for the smallest birds that can fit through the mesh, such as chickadees and goldfinches. But any mesh opening that will permit a cardinal to pass could also allow a sharp-shinned hawk to pass.

It is essential that predators such as hawks exist to maintain an upper limit on prey populations. If there were no natural controls on a population, the population could grow out of control. For example, a pair of rats and their offspring, if left to reproduce without controls, would result in 200 to 350 million rats in three years. The same staggering numbers are true for some bird species. The American robin lays and raises four eggs at a time and can have two broods per season. Without controls on a pair of robins and their breeding offspring, they could ultimately result in 19 million robins in just 10 years. This is over the healthy limit of robins for any habitat.

Raptors are an essential part of the ecosystem. Their role as predators places them at the top of the food chain and also makes them excellent barometers of the health of the environment. If there is a problem in the environment, it often becomes visible in a predatory species first. This was the case with a pesticide called DDT, which built up in the food chain from insects to fish and birds to predators. This toxic chemical almost caused peregrine falcons and bald eagles to be eliminated from North America. Chemicals that affect wildlife will ultimately affect humans and human health.

Please enjoy watching all wildlife. Songbirds and raptors live in the same healthy habitats. Enjoy the hawks for the beautiful creatures they are and remember that everything in nature is intertwined. Without one, the other will not flourish.

References:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The Audubon Society
Encyclopedia of North American Birds
The Sibley Guide to North American Birds
Cats Indoors! The campaign for safer birds and cats.
The Mammals of Texas -Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (16 U.S.C. 703)
The Endangered Species Act of 1973