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February 14, 2002 - Hawks: terror of the bird worldSA • The Suffolk Times • February 14, 2002 m a • S. terror of the bird world This Cooper's hawk is similar to the one that chased after my chickens this week. As you can see, It has jesses on Its legs, which tells us that it Is a hawk used In the ancient art of falconry. It escaped from Its pen and was recaptured In my son's chicken coop. Obviously Its Intentions weren't the best. Times /Review photo by Paul Stoutenburgh I WAS HALF DOZING IN MY Comfort- able chair when Barbara headed out to do some shopping. As she went out the door she called back, "The crows are going crazy calling out back. Why don't you check it out ?" And she was off. FOCUS I could hardly rouse myself ON from my chair, NATURE but for Barbara's b sake I decided to Y Paul see what all the Stoutenburgh ruckus was about. As I went toward the chicken coop, the crows didn't let up their incessant "caw caw caw." They seemed to all be up in one tree and with every call their heads and bodies moved up and down. They were calling with heads and bills pointed toward the ground, almost as if aiming a gun at some particular was really goms on. uoutd It be a 1oX7 i've lost two chickens just recently to this clever scavenger. "Maybe it's a hawk or even a cat," I thought. We have stray cats wandering around, always looking for a meal. Could one be try- ing for one of my little ban- tam chickens? The crows kept up their harassing calls as I headed across the lawn. As I went around the corner to where the action was focused, I saw the culprit, a hawk on the ground. It was trying to get at one of the bantams that had wedged itself inside a tangle of briers. With its glar- ing yellow eyes and a fierce look of disgust, the hawk flew away with all the crows in hot pursuit. It was a Cooper's hawk. I couldn't believe how aggressive the crows were, diving and calling, each one taking its turn to dive -bomb the fleeing hawk. Looking closer, I saw some feathers on the ground; there must have been some action here. The little bantam was terrified. It looked as if its wing was broken. I tried to get it out with my hands. Of course, I had left my gloves in the house. It was difficult just trying to get the chicken out with all the briers grabbing at me. As I gripped onto it to bring it out, it start- ed squawking as if someone was going to chop its head off. Slowly but surely, I worked the now - terrified chicken out. Both of my hands were bleeding from the briers. I couldn't believe I'd been scratched that much. Once freed, I brought the little bantam around to the chicken coop, opened the door and put her in. She ran across the floor of the coop as if nothing had happened. Her wing wasn't broken after all. Outside, all the rest of the chickens were still terrified; most were crouched underneath the bushes, so- me even out of sight. What terror must have gone through their tiny heads as thev witnessed the hawk attacking one of their own, but that's the way it is. I don't begrudge the hawk. He was doing what hawks have been programmed to do for thousands of-ears. It's called survival. I've got another hawk story, one that involves another member of the hawk family that is raising havoc in our neighbor- hood. It has to do with the little woodland bird called the sharp- shinned hawk. 's about the size of a robin, a bit mmer and with a longer tail. My grandson related this story to e. He said he was in the house and yard a thud on the window over - :)king their patio. He went to inves- �ate and saw a small hawk fly away. hile he had the door open there is much confusion outside the `I couldn't believe how aggressive the crows were, each one taking its turn to dive -bomb the hawk.' ­-. "«u a „cause sparrow acciden- tally flew into the house. It was immediately caught by the cat. So we had theiittle sharp - shinned hawk ter rorizing the birds at the feeder, and inside a cat catching one of the birds that went in trying to get away from the hawk. We have noticed fewer birds at our feeders and that hawk must have been the reason for it. That sharpie has been hunting at all the neighbor- hood feeders. What better place to find birds congregating than at the feeding stations? I know it was a sharp- shinned hawk because it also flew into our yard and perched on a little fence we have right outside the patio. There it stayed, looking around with that menacing look, just waiting for something to move. This hawk, like the Cooper's hawk, will chase a bird right into the undergrowth, run- ning along after it. We know it has had success for we've found clusters of feathers on the ground where the hawk plucked his prey before eating it. So if your bird feeder seems a bit vacant at times, the birds haven't gone south or deserted you, they're just staying under cover, afraid to come out while Mr. Sharpie is in town. Both the Cooper's hawk that was after my chickens and the sharp - shinned hawk that was after the birds at the feeder fall into the class of woodland hawks that have long tails, rounded wings and are found in our woods. They fly with rapid wing beats and then just glide. And as I said before, I don't begrudge the hawk his occasional meal, for he is just doing what comes natural to him, but I must say he does throw a chill through the . bird world.