# Scary Hawk



## Furbabies mom (Jul 25, 2011)

I had the dogs outside just now and a huge hawk just swooped down about a foot from them. I ran down the yard and it landed on the fence. The dogs took off after it and it flew away. I never let them out without me and now I'll be extra careful. It scared me to death but didn't bother the fluffs at all.


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

oh i know how you feel! It sure makes the heart pound when something like that happens!


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## jerricks (Dec 24, 2007)

we live in the country, the hawks and coyotees scare me...glad it didnt bother the little guys!


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## Lindy (Mar 25, 2009)

Don't be fooled by the hawk that flew off. There are hawks that will swoop down in the blink of an eye a lift-off with a small dog.


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

Not all hawks will lift them off the ground,some will swoop and knock them over or disable in some way to get a quick meal...The hawks that can't lift them off the ground can knock them over,gut them and eat all they can before being chased off...

Sorry for gory post but don't assume because they can't carry them off, that they can't injure or kill your fluffs...


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## allheart (Oct 3, 2008)

michellerobison said:


> Not all hawks will lift them off the ground,some will swoop and knock them over or disable in some way to get a quick meal...The hawks that can't lift them off the ground can knock them over,gut them and eat all they can before being chased off...
> 
> Sorry for gory post but don't assume because they can't carry them off, that they can't injure or kill your fluffs...


Michelle, you are absolutely right. And good for you Furbabies Mom, for watching over your little ones.

I am a HUGE animal lover, no matter the species, but I have a serious diffriculty with hawks and coyates, and the harm that can come to our babies.

Sadly, very sadly, hubby has seen hawks, lift squirrels and off they go . I never ever let my babies far away from me at all in the yard. Ever. For that very reason.

God help me, I do love animals, but geez, can't the hawks just eat trees or something else in nature. Yes, hawks are beautiful in the air, but you can not trust them, or ever let your guard down.


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## Malt Shoppe (Jul 20, 2011)

Ow, what a close call! Be careful, these birds of prey can pick up animals you wouldn't believe! I saw a video of one picking up a small deer once, it was horrible.

You were very lucky, these birds can swoop down in a milisecond and grab an amimal and be gone before you realize it.


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

That is so scary. For many years I lived in the country and had a lot of beautiful pet ducks. Every day a red shouldered hawk came and sat on a perch looking for gophers, but never threatened my ducks. Then one day, a red shouldered hawk landed in the yard, quickly killed a Mandarin duck, but before he got a meal, I came out and scared him off. Two Mandarins swimming in the pond were dead...probably from fear. There was the duck the hawk killed. All lost. And the hawk still hungry. But bigger hawks are a threat to cats and dogs. If you have the threat...never leave them out alone. I love hawks. Protect your little ones if they are in your area...sometimes they are desperate, poor things. Sigh. If you have red-tailed or goshawks be vigilant. As long as you are close, they won't threaten your babies.


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

We have lots of hawks since we're out in the country and more gathering now since the farmers will soon be harvesting,taking off crops.They sit on poles and power lines waiting for all the mice and rats to pour out of the fields in droves as the combines take off the crops and swoop down to get them. Like shooting fish in a barrel....

I'd be thrilled if they'd just stick to rodents...

Also there's a type of buzzard,can't remember the name but it doesn't feed on roadkills,it actually kills first to eat...Bear that in mind too.


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## LinzFair (Oct 10, 2010)

This is almost freaky ! This is the first time I've been thankful to not have a fenced in yard. I also live in the city, are hawks restricted to rural areas?


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

LinzFair said:


> This is almost freaky ! This is the first time I've been thankful to not have a fenced in yard. I also live in the city, are hawks restricted to rural areas?


You can find them in the city too but not often.


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## allheart (Oct 3, 2008)

michellerobison said:


> You can find them in the city too but not often.


Oh Michelle this is sad . But in Philly, that's were hubby saw the hawks, pick up one squirrel after another . Oh it killed him. They still are flying around. 

I don't at all like to dislike any animal, honest I don't, but dear me, for heavens sake eat a leaf off a tree or something.

The hawks are still at it, even in the city. In fact, I see more of them in the city then I do at home .

Makes me crazy!!!!!!!!!!!! Leave our babies alone!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Maidto2Maltese (Oct 19, 2004)

As mentioned , don't be fooled or feel secure because the hawk flew off! They will perch and eait for the right opportunity!
We have them here and one came in very close back when I had my little Missy. It scared the bejeebers outta me!

We live in a country setting and we don't have a fenced yard. My babies are always on a tethered line when they go out and me with them! 

Even if a hawk can't successfully carry a pooch away due to weight, they can still attempt it and lift them off and drop which asside from puncture wounds from the talons, they can be badly injured from the 'drop'


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## Malt Shoppe (Jul 20, 2011)

LinzFair said:


> This is almost freaky ! This is the first time I've been thankful to not have a fenced in yard. I also live in the city, are hawks restricted to rural areas?


Absolutely NOT!!! Coming home one day, at rush hour, (5 p.m.) on a major road thru town, a hawk landed right in the middle of the road. I was shocked. I pulled around the corner, called 911 to report it so something could be done for it before it got killed. It appeared to have an injured wing, but I wasn't sure; just looked injured.

This happened right in the middle of the city, so no, they are not restricted to rural areas.

I think fenced yards are a false sense of security when it comes to small dogs for this very reason, they can still be picked up by prey birds out of an unsupervised fenced yard. 

I have no fence and my two Maltese only know the flagstone patio, the tinkle between the stones while I'm watching over them. They also are pp pad trained indoors.

Also, if it's not birds of prey, it can be coyotes, they've been known to come out of bushes and grab a sweet little Maltese and take off with it, never to be seen again.....so BE ALERT is necessary to keep your babies safe outside.


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

LinzFair said:


> This is almost freaky ! This is the first time I've been thankful to not have a fenced in yard. I also live in the city, are hawks restricted to rural areas?


No, they can go anywhere they want.:HistericalSmiley:Seriously though, the really big ones mostly stay in rural areas. There are perigran falcons in big cities, but they mostly hunt in flight. Also, I saw a documentary on hawks that nested in NYC central park. I can't remember for sure, but I think they were red-tailed hawks. Those are big hawks. I don't think it presents a big danger in areas of denser population. I don't worry about hawks here, but I wouldn't let the dogs out alone at night for fear of owls. I've had great horned owls land on my deck in Los Angeles. Those a big owls.


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## DiamondsDad (Jul 14, 2011)

Hawks are very frightening when you have a little fluff, but they are majestic creatures that perform valuable population control in nature. My parents have hawks and eagles around where they live. When we take Diamond to visit, we make sure that she does out on a leash with someone or at the very least she stays on the patio in the middle of a bunch of people. On the topic of hawks though, we've noticed Diamond has an odd habit. Sometimes when we're watching TV there will be a hawk or eagle noise (for example, the Colbert Report). When she hears this sound, she stops whatever she's doing (sleeping often) and runs to hide in her house or in the bedroom. Has anyone else noticed this type of 'instinct'?


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## njdrake (Apr 23, 2007)

We see Hawks all the time and we don't live in the country. One morning my neighbor called to let me know that when they left for work at 7:30 there was a hawk in a tree out front and 4 Hawks sitting on our roof. We also have coyotes but never really heard anything about them and have only seen one once walking along the main road early one morning. We have a fenced yard but I never let the girls out without going with them. Its scary to even think abut what could happen.


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## RudyRoo (Jun 24, 2011)

I'm really glad the "hawk" issue was brought up here. It's something that I had been meaning to ask about at some point. I have been really cautious about taking Rudy to any of the dog parks around us because there have been hawk sightings in our area. In fact, the dog park we like the best actually has a sign on their fence that reads "BEWARE OF HAWKS." We are in a suburb of Houston, TX and the park itself is near a nature preserve and there are a ton of trees. But my question is this...if we go to the park at a time when it is heavily populated (birthday parties, kids playing everywhere, lots of dogs and parents in both the small and large dog parks) does that lessen the chance that hawks will approach?


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

RudyRoo said:


> I'm really glad the "hawk" issue was brought up here. It's something that I had been meaning to ask about at some point. I have been really cautious about taking Rudy to any of the dog parks around us because there have been hawk sightings in our area. In fact, the dog park we like the best actually has a sign on their fence that reads "BEWARE OF HAWKS." We are in a suburb of Houston, TX and the park itself is near a nature preserve and there are a ton of trees. But my question is this...if we go to the park at a time when it is heavily populated (birthday parties, kids playing everywhere, lots of dogs and parents in both the small and large dog parks) does that lessen the chance that hawks will approach?


I'm quite sure it drastically lessens the chance that hawks will approach. I used to have a beautiful red-shouldered hawk sit on a post outside every single day for several years, but if I just went outside he would take off. He was hunting gophers in the field at the same of time day. 

Anything could have if an animal is desperate for food. Mostly, even the biggest hawks wouldn't try for anything bigger than a small rabbit. While people certainly need to take precautions with very small Malts, I don't think hawks are enough of a threat to avoid fun. Personally, I think owls are scarier.

I just have one more thing to add. A lot of people mistake turkey vultures for hawks when they are riding the thermals. There are a lot more vultures than hawks about. They are huge, but pose no threat at all. Even my ducks weren't concerned...they'd look up to the sky and if it was a vulture, they would go about their business. If there was a hawk they would run for cover.


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## Aarianne (Jul 22, 2005)

That's almost exactly what happened with my dogs except that it probably didn't get within 1'... more like 4'-6'. It was swooping down from behind them when I saw it and I right away started yelling, running towards my dogs and flailing my arms. Luckily I startled my dogs too and they came to a stop and watched as I ran over and scooped them up. The hawk had swooped up to perch above them in a low tree branch and just watched as I retrieved them and ran inside. Pretty creepy.


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