Just a warning. Outdoor time, even in cage, can be dangerous

[TWR]

Please always supervise your fids

So right. I found out the hard way. There's no hawks or eagles in my area, but a lovebird lost its beak while in a cage outside from a wild Too. The Too was after the seed and I guess the lovebird got too close.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

So right. I found out the hard way. There's no hawks or eagles in my area, but a lovebird lost its beak while in a cage outside from a wild Too. The Too was after the seed and I guess the lovebird got too close.

I'm so sorry that happened to your Lovebird

 

[Lady Jane]

Cooper hawks are very large hawks. The one in the cage was not so large. I guess it pays to be a fierce female budgie.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Poor little budgie, think how frightening this must have been, and how awful for Snowy to witness the loss of her friend. The owners should have known better than to leave their birds outside unattended. Crazy how the hawk was able to get inside, but even if he didn't, he still could have killed the budgies.

 

[Just-passn-thru]

Poor little budgie, think how frightening this must have been, and how awful for Snowy to witness the loss of her friend. The owners should have known better than to leave their birds outside unattended. Crazy how the hawk was able to get inside, but even if he didn't, he still could have killed the budgies.

life is cruel sometimes

 

[SandraK]

Poor little budgie, think how frightening this must have been, and how awful for Snowy to witness the loss of her friend. The owners should have known better than to leave their birds outside unattended. Crazy how the hawk was able to get inside, but even if he didn't, he still could have killed the budgies.

I've noticed that very few people actually "see" the wild birds outside let alone the hawks, falcons or eagles that are circling above the usual wild bird level. It's like they're invisible. I've been gassing up my car and watching hawks go by and other customers ask me what I'm watching. Doesn't anybody out there actually look around?

AND I've seen more than one person say that "there are no hawks in their area".

 

[Newbie GCC]

When I had the flock outside Sunday, we watched a hawk chase a pigeon into the tree very close to us. Thankfully my three saw it coming before I did and sent out the "MOM" alarm. Rhoma and Rhema have a stare and growl, Ernie screamed like I had not heard before. I was in the yard with them, but turning dirt for a new bed so not right next to the cages. Knowing Rho and Rheems alerts already, I dropped the shovel and looked up just in time to see the hawk hit the pigeons tail feathers, then the hawk saw me. He flew off and the pigeon was only minus a tail feather.
I know hawks are here and I try to be careful. That was too close for comfort. I stood right by the cages for a good long time to make sure that big bird knew I was there. Hubs turned on some music to make a little noise to keep him away, too. (Hence the Fun in the Sun video I posted the other day)

 

[Just-passn-thru]

I've noticed that very few people actually "see" the wild birds outside let alone the hawks, falcons or eagles that are circling above the usual wild bird level. It's like they're invisible. I've been gassing up my car and watching hawks go by and other customers ask me what I'm watching. Doesn't anybody out there actually look around?

AND I've seen more than one person say that "there are no hawks in their area".

I do the same , I like to look up and see what's happening out there,. especially when I hear them kind of a cool sense of wildness, reminds me of the Clint Eastwood Classic Movie ...GOOD,BAD ,UGLY, the flute...da da da da da d da da

 

[Just-passn-thru]

If my feathered charges are out-side in the aviary,, they let me know when something is up. I have a large koi pond that a great blue heron like to visit. when he's strolling around the pond they send alerts to me . Bentley is the Sentinel of the flock.

 

[TWR]

I'm so sorry that happened to your Lovebird

Me too. It was a tough lesson to learn.

 

[Just-passn-thru]

Me too. It was a tough lesson to learn.

Life is full of curve balls, we think we have it covered and bam ! I had a favorite crested canary, I loved him so much his name was Pavarotti, I used to raise Afghan Hounds, and Shalimar the mamma dog had just whelped her litter of puppies, she was voraciously hungry all the time, to provide for the litter,. at the time I also had a female boxer named Bridgette. One of them pushed open the flight door to my canary's flight, in the dark. I came in the room and Pavarotti was missing, no trace of him anywhere, not even a feather. I don't know who was the guilty one, but I suspect it was the hound . My poor Pavarotti I didn't even find parts of him in their poop. I learned my lesson too, any cage door is now reinforced with a link or tie, the slip latches are the most unsafe , I tie those because they easily get unlatched.

 

[TWR]

Life is full of curve balls, we think we have it covered and bam ! I had a favorite crested canary, I loved him so much his name was Pavarotti, I used to raise Afghan Hounds, and Shalimar the mamma dog had just whelped her litter of puppies, she was voraciously hungry all the time, to provide for the litter,. at the time I also had a female boxer named Bridgette. One of them pushed open the flight door to my canary's flight, in the dark. I came in the room and Pavarotti was missing, no trace of him anywhere, not even a feather. I don't know who was the guilty one, but I suspect it was the hound . My poor Pavarotti I didn't even find parts of him in their poop. I learned my lesson too, any cage door is now reinforced with a link or tie, the slip latches are the most unsafe , I tie those because they easily get unlatched.

Our outdoor aviary's are safe from predators, but even so each door, including feed doors, are locked with a combination padlock. The lovebird was in a cage though and the Too lifted an unsecured feed door. Lesson learned. I always secure any cage with locks now, if they are outside and I supervise closely.

 

[LilSprout]

Two hawks literally nest down the street from me every year, I see them all the time :0

 

[emdh]

My sister lost one of her small dogs to a hawk. She was devastated. I also don't see how the hawk could have gotten in the cage if it was secured but harnesses outside are definitely a no-even if you're there with your birds.

 

[McBird]

Please always supervise your fids

couldn't have said it better myself!!

a friend of mine got a little lovebird and she didn't take right right safety precautions and he was killed by her friend's cat. she hadn't even had him a week. I cried for a bit after her telling me that because you really have to be on your guard and either she didn't think it was necessary or she wasn't paying close enough attention. plus she has cats in her house as well. if I had a cat I wouldn't bring a bird into the house.

 

[Just-passn-thru]

My sister lost one of her small dogs to a hawk. She was devastated. I also don't see how the hawk could have gotten in the cage if it was secured but harnesses outside are definitely a no-even if you're there with your birds.

Devastated is an understatement. your poor sister probably will never get over that horrible tragedy.

 

[Debbie]

Oh my gosh...thanks for posting this....can't blame the hawk of course, but lesson learned for the family...I have done that in the past...I have put my budgies out on the patio...it's covered...I always twist tied my doors though when I had them out to be on the safe side...but dang even in flight cages now, I'm not sure if I want to chance my birds being outside...guess if I do I will have to plan on doing some reading or needlework while they are out. Poor budgie though...and family.. I would be so sad...And the hawk...I bet he was thinking...what the heck...how do I get out of this....

 

[Mizzely]

A reminder too for those with mixed sized flocks. Members on our site have had small parrots killed by larger parrots through the cage bars.

 

[SallyQZ]

My small flock of chickens free-ranged without any problems for almost three years. Then a pair of hawks discovered them. At first, I wasn't sure what was happening because a chicken would go missing every two or three weeks. Then I found one dead hen, partially eaten. The next day, I walked around the corner of the coop and saw the hawk, sitting on a second dead hen, eating her. Since then, my poor hens have been kept inside their coop full-time.

The hawks return to the coop multiple times daily, and shriek at the hens, hoping to startle them out into the open where they can be attacked. Once the hawks figured out that the hens were closed inside, they started landing on the roof of the coop, and on the sides, trying to figure out how to get inside themselves. They are relentless.

They also went for my 11 lb mini-dachshund. First one hawk swooped down to attack, but I was there and picked her up. The next week, BOTH hawks swooped together and they weren't overly concerned that I was standing right there! So now the little dog can't go outside unless someone stands right next to her at all times.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

My small flock of chickens free-ranged without any problems for almost three years. Then a pair of hawks discovered them. At first, I wasn't sure what was happening because a chicken would go missing every two or three weeks. Then I found one dead hen, partially eaten. The next day, I walked around the corner of the coop and saw the hawk, sitting on a second dead hen, eating her. Since then, my poor hens have been kept inside their coop full-time.

The hawks return to the coop multiple times daily, and shriek at the hens, hoping to startle them out into the open where they can be attacked. Once the hawks figured out that the hens were closed inside, they started landing on the roof of the coop, and on the sides, trying to figure out how to get inside themselves. They are relentless.

They also went for my 11 lb mini-dachshund. First one hawk swooped down to attack, but I was there and picked her up. The next week, BOTH hawks swooped together and they weren't overly concerned that I was standing right there! So now the little dog can't go outside unless someone stands right next to her at all times.

Wow, poor chickens.That sounds very scary and intense.