Keep an eye open, scary encounter

[Hjarta5]

I cannot even imagine how that feels, @faislaq I hope you have forgiven yourself and that all your good memories of Pistachio arent clouded by this -- he sounded like such a special bird that was so well loved by you

 

[faislaq]

I'm hurting for your heartbreak.

I cannot even imagine how that feels, @faislaq I hope you have forgiven yourself and that all your good memories of Pistachio arent clouded by this -- he sounded like such a special bird that was so well loved by you

You are both so sweet. I haven't forgiven myself and I deserve every bit of pain; to feel it because he cannot. I can only use it to remind me to do always try harder. I have learned from it and share it so no one else has to. Our memories of him are bittersweet and we should have had many more. I took that from us. I am on here learning new things everyday so I can make our birds safer -from everything. I don't know that I would have the same dedication if it did not stem as equally from fear as from love.

He was a very special bird. He is the reason we love birds and he is directly the reason for each of the birds we have now; 2 were to be his companions, 2 to help fill the hole.

"One thing I do know, and that is that neither hope, nor fear, belief, nor denial can change the fact. It is as it is, and it will be as it might be." -Robert Green Ingersoll

 

[melissasparrots]

I don't know what kind of hawk it was that took Pistachio from my shoulder, but I have read that hawks usually break the necks of their prey on contact. I am certain that was the case with Pistachio as his body was limp the entire time we chased the hawk, every time it landed, and for as long as we were able to keep it in sight. I knew that if we were able to get him back we would just be recovering his body at that point. I agree that he would not have been disembodied had he been in a harness, but I also agree that the damage would have clearly been done.

Sorry you had that experience. Falcons are more likely to break the neck. Hawks more likely to just start eating.

 

[faislaq]

Sorry you had that experience. Falcons are more likely to break the neck. Hawks more likely to just start eating.

In a very weird way then I guess we were lucky. I am grateful that wasn't the case.

 

[Teckechick]

We have hawks everywhere around us, we see them all the time and turkey vultures. We only see a few bald eagles they stay close to the river. Aries will be sitting on his window perch and just take off flying and screaming. He will then go hide behind his cage until I go get him and give lots of cuddles to my scared little man. We are pretty sure that he is seeing a hawk circling outside. I am glad your babies are all safe and this is a very good reminder with warmer weather just around the corner.

 

[BirbyHouse]

Sending hugs

It's mostly because of this I'm so happy I live in the UK, the worst bird here are probably pigeons!

 

[faislaq]

Sending hugs
It's mostly because of this I'm so happy I live in the UK, the worst bird here are probably pigeons!

You do have kites, harriers and golden eagles there, though I hope you only have positive experiences if any.

 

[BirbyHouse]

You do have kites, harriers and golden eagles there, though I hope you only have positive experiences if any.

I actually had no idea, I think I just haven't seen them because I live in London

 

[Hjarta5]

We have hawks everywhere around us, we see them all the time and turkey vultures. We only see a few bald eagles they stay close to the river. Aries will be sitting on his window perch and just take off flying and screaming. He will then go hide behind his cage until I go get him and give lots of cuddles to my scared little man. We are pretty sure that he is seeing a hawk circling outside. I am glad your babies are all safe and this is a very good reminder with warmer weather just around the corner.

Aries seems like a smart little man When my birds hear the hawks outside, both will freeze and become alert but of course the smallest pipsqueak in the house, Wally, will then start loudly grumbling and flying at the windows to get outside

 

[faislaq]

Aries seems like a smart little man When my birds hear the hawks outside, both will freeze and become alert but of course the smallest pipsqueak in the house, Wally, will then start loudly grumbling and flying at the windows to get outside

Thank you for saving those hawks from Wally!

 

[Hjarta5]

Thank you for saving those hawks from Wally!

If you asked Wally, she is clearly saving us from the hawks and not the other way around

 

[faislaq]

Interesting...

wally (ˈwɒlɪ) n. a feathered Chihuahua

 

[Hjarta5]

Interesting...

wally (ˈwɒlɪ) n. a feathered Chihuahua

Yes, even though I already knew this, Im so glad "your" dictionary confirms it too!

 

[SandraK]

In a very weird way then I guess we were lucky. I am grateful that wasn't the case.

I can only say from personal experience watching the wild birds outside that I am thankful that the hawks do "take away". They might take someone down in our back or front (from the feathers found) gardens but I've never found anything but feathers. I do have pix from the first summer we were here and a red tail had an obvious bunny up in one of the big trees.

And I've heard stories from people walking/jogging by who ask what I'm watching and then will relate a story about a pet bunny or puppy being snatched by a hawk. Didn't want to say it but it did cross my mind that you'd have to be an idiot to put a bunny outside in a pet pen without some type of top or cover. Cats and coyotes would be just as interested in bunnies as are raptors, let alone a dog who got out and was running around.

 

[Ankou]

@faislaq
I'm so sorry, I can't even imagine. Don't blame yourself - it's hard to comprehend a falcon would be brave enough to even try that until you hear of it happening. Honestly before this thread it never even occurred to me to worry about that.


On topic, I wouldn't take Peanut out in a harness either but up until reading this thread that was mostly because I wouldn't trust a harness that lightweight intended to be on a bird that small. Seems like escape would be a very real risk but I'm paranoid. She has both a travel cage and small ferret/rat carrier I prefer for transport.

 

[SandraK]

@faislaq
I'm so sorry, I can't even imagine. Don't blame yourself - it's hard to comprehend a falcon would be brave enough to even try that until you hear of it happening. Honestly before this thread it never even occurred to me to worry about that.


On topic, I wouldn't take Peanut out in a harness either but up until reading this thread that was mostly because I wouldn't trust a harness that lightweight intended to be on a bird that small. Seems like escape would be a very real risk but I'm paranoid. She has both a travel cage and small ferret/rat carrier I prefer for transport.

I tried a harness on a couple of my birds and they rolled over and acted as if I'd done something deadly to them and they were in their death throes. Funny to watch when one knew it was only a harness ...

 

[faislaq]

On topic, I wouldn't take Peanut out in a harness either but up until reading this thread that was mostly because I wouldn't trust a harness that lightweight intended to be on a bird that small. Seems like escape would be a very real risk but I'm paranoid. She has both a travel cage and small ferret/rat carrier I prefer for transport.

I only ever see pics of Peanut sleeping & I'm having a hard time picturing knocked-over naptime-Peanut escaping!

I tried a harness on a couple of my birds and they rolled over and acted as if I'd done something deadly to them and they were in their death throes. Funny to watch when one knew it was only a harness ...

Death throes! How dramatic! Did you get any videos?

 

[SandraK]

I only ever see pics of Peanut sleeping & I'm having a hard time picturing knocked-over naptime-Peanut escaping!



Death throes! How dramatic! Did you get any videos?

No but if you can imagine a Quaker and a gcc with a harness on, rolling over on their backs (each at different times), making noises as if I'd poisoned them and trying to get up acting as if I'd injured their legs or wings you have a pretty good mental image. It was unbelievable acting - the people who won Oscars and Emmys would have given their eye-teeth for these performances. Good heavens! This went waaay past drama and divas. This could've been out of a Charlie Chaplin silent movie with all the drama that ensued.

 

[SandraK]

We have hawks everywhere around us, we see them all the time and turkey vultures. We only see a few bald eagles they stay close to the river. Aries will be sitting on his window perch and just take off flying and screaming. He will then go hide behind his cage until I go get him and give lots of cuddles to my scared little man. We are pretty sure that he is seeing a hawk circling outside. I am glad your babies are all safe and this is a very good reminder with warmer weather just around the corner.

Not necessarily circling, the hawks around here are brave enough to sit on a tree branch in the back garden. There's one tree that give the predator a view of the front and back feeders as well as whatever birdy is sitting in the bay window on perches.

Then some have been ballsy enough to perch on the deck railing ...

 

[SandraK]

I actually had no idea, I think I just haven't seen them because I live in London

Part of it is looking up into the sky as if you were watching for airplanes. Most of the predators do some beautiful flying on the thermal currents way high up so they'll be far, far up and small.