The Hawk

Hawk attacks are common among poultry, especially smaller, bantam breeds and young birds. Several hawk species are known to prey upon chickens and sometimes ducks and turkeys---the most troublesome are the larger, more aggressive species, such as the northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus) and Cooper’s hawk (Accipiter cooperii). Red-shouldered hawks (Buteo lineatus) on occasion prey upon poultry. Northern harriers (Circus cyaneus) sometimes prey on ducks and other waterfowl.

A hawk will silently perch nearby and watch your flock from a distance. When it decides to capture its next prey, it will descend rapidly onto the birds from above, and capture them with its feet. A hawk will usually only kill one bird per day. Hawks pluck birds, leaving piles of feathers on the ground, as they do not like to eat feathers. Beak marks can sometimes be seen on the shafts of these plucked feathers. They may also take the heads off of poultry if given the chance to snatch them through netting.

Regulatory Laws
In the United States, all hawks are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 USC, 703-711). These laws strictly prohibit the capture, killing, or possession of hawks without a special permit. In addition, most states have regulations regarding hawks. Some species may be common in one state but may be on a state endangered species list in another.