You are here:
Birding/hawks/dogs
Advertisement
Question
I moved to a neighborhood that has hawks that are continuously cicling for food. I have a min dachshund that likes to go in the yard and this makes me nervous. Do I need to put up a detterent of some kind and if yes - what can i use?
Although I have heard stories about dogs/cats being carried away by hawks, I think they are untrue. (I've heard several variations on the story of a dog being found in a tree after being carried away by an owl. Clearly a myth.)I don't know of one authenticated case of a hawk or owl taking a dog or cat. A typical hawk weighs about 3 pounds and can't carry much more than a pound. You don't need to do anything - the hawk will not bother your dogs.
Related Articles
Answers by Expert:
Roger Lederer
Expertise
Any and all about WILD birds - the science of ornithology. Information about birdwatching, ecology, conservation, migration, behavior, banding, rehabilitation, feeding, songs, binoculars, identification, and careers in ornithology. No questions about pet or caged birds, please.
Experience
Have a PhD and over forty years as a professional ornithologist - research, teaching, author, speaker, webmaster of Ornithology.com . Have written thirty scientific papers, three bird field guides, a textbook in ecology and two recent books entitled "Amazing Birds" and "Birds of New England". Have traveled to over 90 countries watching birds.
Education/Credentials
PhD in Zoology/Ornithology; Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences; former Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at California State University, Chico
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.