Owls and Hawks

[LaShae1995]

Hello everyone so I saw on the camera a owl I believe catching one of my releases I just turned out. He was taken off as heartbreaking this was I'm glad I saw it and know what happened but I need to know how to better protect the other two. It's an emergency because they are currently running in the woods exactly where their brother was taken. I feel like I didnt prepare them good enough and let him down. Was there anymore I could have done or should have done? It happened close by the release cage but kind off a bit. His brother was on the rc up and under the roof watching helpless. This is soul shattering! I want to prevent it from happening again. Please any advice and help much appreciated. Please asap. Thanks

[Summerc25]

Hello everyone so I saw on the camera a owl I believe catching one of my releases I just turned out. He was taken off as heartbreaking this was I'm glad I saw it and know what happened but I need to know how to better protect the other two. It's an emergency because they are currently running in the woods exactly where their brother was taken. I feel like I didnt prepare them good enough and let him down. Was there anymore I could have done or should have done? It happened close by the release cage but kind off a bit. His brother was on the rc up and under the roof watching helpless. This is soul shattering! I want to prevent it from happening again. Please any advice and help much appreciated. Please asap. Thanks

I am so sorry 😞 I don't have any advice to share but interested in seeing what the others say. That's so heartbreaking. I just wanted to send condolences.

[LaShae1995]

Hey everyone I have some great news! All 3 of my babies are back safe and sound! I don't know if the owl caught one of them and miraculously he escapes or if a wild was caught. It sure was scary. Crow didn't even come back for the whole night. Today I checked the box and seen a familiar face so I checked and it was Crow! I now as of tonight have all 3 babies safe and sound locked up. They do not have any scratches or anything and I know I definitely seen a squirrle laying on the ground and next clip in video it was being taken away. Idk you tell me. I lost a whole night's sleep and worried my self bound sick all day. I am so thankful all 3 are safe and sound and I pray no wilds were hurt. But still this scary situation needs some attention. Any advice on how to help prevent this is still much appreciated. I'm soooooo sorry for making everyone concerned.


Agian...

*** ALL 3 BABIES ARE SAFE AND SOUND ***

[Summerc25]

Hey everyone I have some great news! All 3 of my babies are back safe and sound! I don't know if the owl caught one of them and miraculously he escapes or if a wild was caught. It sure was scary. Crow didn't even come back for the whole night. Today I checked the box and seen a familiar face so I checked and it was Crow! I now as of tonight have all 3 babies safe and sound locked up. They do not have any scratches or anything and I know I definitely seen a squirrle laying on the ground and next clip in video it was being taken away. Idk you tell me. I lost a whole night's sleep and worried my self bound sick all day. I am so thankful all 3 are safe and sound and I pray no wilds were hurt. But still this scary situation needs some attention. Any advice on how to help prevent this is still much appreciated. I'm soooooo sorry for making everyone concerned.


Agian...

*** ALL 3 BABIES ARE SAFE AND SOUND ***

So happy to hear this!! Sorry for the poor squirrel that got taken but I'm glad it wasn't one of your babies. Did you see the other thread talking about the air horn?

[LaShae1995]

I did actually. I think also shooting a gun in the air could work maybe I know my brother sure does have a loud one. They don't care bout the gun we shot it to scare coons away one night and they didn't even wake up. Their crazy. I am sad too for that poor grey I don't know I think it was a wild one because it was just laying there not moving then being taken you'd think if it escapes it would be hurt.

[LaShae1995]

I seen some posts on here people use cds Shiney objects and fake owls to scare off hawks... my question with this is would it attract other predatory like raccoons becuase they like Shiney things so I heard. Also wouldn't a fake owl just make releases accustomed to the figure of an owl and think oh its the owl dummy but it is in fact the real deal and now it is being taken away. I don't know what to so I got a HUGE owl and hawk problem I live out in the country and it crazy at how many I see. My releases sometimes don't come back till dark and I seen owls out in the daytime. I think a owl caught and killed a wild right beside my cage yesterday I have it on camera. Any advice plz

[Tashahaven]

I’m so sorry you had to witness that! I’m really glad it WASNT one of yours though! Thank goodness!

I have seen people hang up CDs in the trees, and use an owl dumby!

I don’t think the cds will attract racoons though.

As people wake up and such, hopefully other folks will give you advice!

🥰

[LaShae1995]

We hang some metal pan and lasagna pans up like the throw away kind made for foil.. we hand several up. Meek is loosing weight I'm making I post just for Meek on a different thread ill post link here. If you have advice please respond asap. Thanks


https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?70075-Meek-is-not-keeping-weight-on&p=1363460#post1363460

[Diggie's Friend]

Although the blast/sound an Air horn makes may startle animals; when aimed at
predators (cats, raccoons, birds of prey), it is the pressure wave that it makes
that feels like something has touched them, which is why it drives them off.

Friendly advise: Never fire a bullet into the air, because what goes up must come down.
Although rare, there are actual documented cases of this resulting the injury and even death of individuals nearby.
For this reason; I become uneasy when I hear shots fired on 4th of July, New Years, and other holidays.

https://www.wired.com/2009/10/more-on-mythbusters-shooting-bullets-in-the-air/

[LaShae1995]

I will keep that in .indeed about the gun. We aim at a target not the air I just say that idk why. I've seen on TV where that happened that would suck. I really don't know what to do about the owls though today it flew at head level right to our release cage. I can tell it isn't just hunting squirrels it's hunting our babies. It's heading right for our cage. What should I do. Is there anything thay scares owls away? Maybe ultrasonic sounds but I don't wanna scare away the squirrels. I need help asap it comes back every day around sane time. I usually set up there waiting on it so I can make it's life as miserable ad possible hoping it leaves but someday I just can't be up there. I realllly need to get rid of this owl.

[Chirps]

I'm guessing it's a great horned owl? That's the only kind I know of that I've seen active in the daytime, but then it's also one of the only kinds I have around here. And still rare for them to hunt in daytime, at least here.

Since it's coming at the same time each day, maybe a couple of shots with the air horn will convince it to hunt elsewhere? Hopefully that wouldn't make it just change its timing to when you aren't there.

[Diggie's Friend]

Glad to hear you are being safe with the firearm.

To my knowledge I know of nothing that has worked to drive off birds of prey save using an air horn held line of sight on the bird within20 to 25 ft. even so closer is more effective. If you just use the horn without aiming it won't work; I know because I have missed the target with the air horn on occasion when trying to drive off hawks which elicited no response at all. To a bird, it's the feel of the sound wave not the sound being what it mainly responds to, because the air wave feels like something is pushing against it. Should your aim not be on target, which is the most likely with a bird in flight; or at a far distance where the wave loses it's strength, then it won't have the needed pressure to drive the bird off. Repeat blasting with the air horn as many times as it needed to drive it off.

Placing plywood over the top of the release cage as well as providing nest boxes eliminates the issue of birds of prey using their their talons against the squirrels though the top of the release cage.

[lovesquirrels1]

Birds of prey are natural predators. Personally, I'd just let nature take its course. Domestic cats are not native to the United States, so I have no tolerance for them on my property.

[LaShae1995]

I love cats we have a couple so not gonna run them off but they don't go up in the woods really. I once seen a stray cat in the woods but I think he was just passing through. I main concern is hawks and dang owls. 🙄 if they'd go away my babies would have so much easier. I seen the owl in the woods tonight while we were riding the 4 wheeler I screamed at it and it flew away but I know he'll be back. I will try to get an air horn like u guys said. Do u think it would be rise to use the horn at night I don't wanna startle the babies and cause them to run around. One night they were in the rc cage sleeping and it came a sudden down poor of rain and they were running around everywhere in and out of the rc. If that owl would have seen that it wouldn't of been pretty but they were staying close to the portal door so maybe they would have been fine. Idk. I did lock then up that night. However now since I know they get started like that sometimes I'm worried because now they do not sleep in their rc they sleep in actual squirrel nest. I need that owl gone asap. Maybe a radio playing all night owls have good hearing and maybe it would cause him to wanna hunt else where cause he wouldn't be able to hear mice such running around. Or maybe a disco light or some sort of moving lights to distract his nocturnal eyes. So far they have been staying safe so I'm thanking God for that everyday but all it takes is the wrong place and the wrong time. Thanks yall for advice.

[LaShae1995]

I believe so I could of swore I seen those horned features when I seen it grab up a wild squirel and take it away. 🥺

[LaShae1995]

My sister seen him flying about head level with her and she's rather short right around the rc. She made it leave. I seen him in the woods in a tree one night in the middle of the night. I shined a light in his eyes and screamed at him and so far to the best of my knowledge he hasn't been back

[Tashahaven]

If the light seemed to work to help deter the predator away at night, it might be worth trying a motion activated security light on the roof pointed up. Most are solar powered these days and work great.

It’s worth a try at least. It definitely can’t hurt?

I know it helps with racoons too.

[Diggie's Friend]

Bright light shined into their eyes temporarily overloads their optic sensors in night mode.

[supersquirrelgirl]

If I can add my 2 cents....

Predator birds do not like flashing lights. In my other animal care life, I use green lasers to warn-off crows from attacking rabbits. (very effective from a distance)

However, Owls have much bigger eyes with more retina rods so they can see in the dark better and catch movement easily. Like human eyes, they enlarge their iris to allow more light when its dark. So if you modulate light from on to off like flashing, their retina is overload since the iris can't close & open fast enough. White light is best since it includes all colors.

Using a white strobe light is bright and fast for flashing. With latest LED type, they are also bright and can run on battery systems. Strong flashlights work if you point directly at and then move away slightly; repeating this action is effective.

Just something to think about for a solution.

[LaShae1995]

Perfectttt I'll give it a try then ♡♡♡ thanks guys.