Big Al Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 Our pheasant shooting season was virtually wiped out before it began as sparrow hawks methodically picked off our poults one-by-one in the release pen. Has anyone any tips of how these avian predators can be scared off. We are hoping to try again next year, but don't want the same thing to happen again. Unless we can find some way of protecting our birds, our wee shoot could close. There seem to be many more of these protected predators than ever before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 its a tricky one, netting pens may be an option, also shooting rabbits and leaving the corpses about leaves a source of food for some of them. If its sparrowhawks it may also be possible to keep the poults inside longer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 Please do not leave shot game down for raptors. It only takes one shotgun pellet digested by a BOP to sit in the stomach and cause lead poisoning killing the bird. NTTF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 I agree with the adice offered by al4x. You could also try hanging redundant CDs around the pen and woods. Its is believed that the reflected light distracts birds of prey. Its worth a try. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustyfox Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 I got an idea its my own idea so dont know weather it will work. Try getting pheasant poult decoys and put them in obvious places where the sparrowhawk can see them, it will attack them and after a while they might move of. Again I just thought of it and might not work but give it a go it might work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 Paint some giant BOP eyes on feed bags and hang them around the pen. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretboy111 Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 Are you certain that sparrowhawks actually were taking your poults? as in you saw them doing so? I had a family of sparrowhawks 5 of them in one of my small woods, they made my birds very jumpy as they flew around but i didnt ever see any of them take any or any presence of them taking any. Ive seen them take partridge chicks but never a pheasant poult of 7 weeks of age. But to help to scare them i use, Cd's, and bags on string. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markm Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Are you certain that sparrowhawks actually were taking your poults? as in you saw them doing so? I had a family of sparrowhawks 5 of them in one of my small woods, they made my birds very jumpy as they flew around but i didnt ever see any of them take any or any presence of them taking any. Ive seen them take partridge chicks but never a pheasant poult of 7 weeks of age. But to help to scare them i use, Cd's, and bags on string. Alex I have seen them without a shadow of a doubt. I have had them take poults at over 10 weeks old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flash Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Please do not leave shot game down for raptors. It only takes one shotgun pellet digested by a BOP to sit in the stomach and cause lead poisoning killing the bird. NTTF lol, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
platinumsausge Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 ye a agree to da cds but u cud also but big bird of prey dumys out so da sparow hawk wil think dats its in da other birds teroty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexm Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Our keeper went to some unusual lengths to try and stop the local owls, buzzards etc having it away with our poults, including big plastic eagles, the dangling CD's and also putting those anti-perch spikey things on virtually every perchable branch around the pens! Apparently (so he says ) they like to be able to sit close to the pen to pick their victim! It seemed to work, but probably more because he was up there all day every day faffing around with all his gimmicks and his presence alone kept the predators away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 ye a agree to da cds but u cud also but big bird of prey dumys out so da sparow hawk wil think dats its in da other birds teroty ime no expert but dont we speak english in this country rondo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Our keeper went to some unusual lengths to try and stop the local owls, buzzards etc having it away with our poults, including big plastic eagles, the dangling CD's and also putting those anti-perch spikey things on virtually every perchable branch around the pens! Apparently (so he says ) they like to be able to sit close to the pen to pick their victim! It seemed to work, but probably more because he was up there all day every day faffing around with all his gimmicks and his presence alone kept the predators away! ours get flashing lights at night to scare foxes (AKA the pheasant disco) and this years favourity radio 2 played in the pen all day I'm not sure whether its to stop the poults getting lonely or to increase their interlect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ91 Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 id use a sparrow gun n set it to go off at intivuls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scaffman73 Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Employ HRH Harry Wales to shoot them for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nildes Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Put up cap netting over the pen at intervals or cover it completely until the poults are too big to be targets. 2" Pea netting should be fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted January 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Top Tips - thanks for them all. Have just spoken to another guy who suggested that we could try linking up a car radio and battery and leave it on a "talky" Radio 4 type station, so that there is a constant stream of voices - or even better linking up to a timer so they come on and off, especially at key feed times during the day. Ferretboy111 - yes I have seen sparrowhawks take them. There seemed to be a family group in our area, and at times 4 or more could have been seen around the pen at any one time. I like the netting and old CDs ideas - will start gathering together in good time before rearing season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tealer Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 Top Tips - thanks for them all. Have just spoken to another guy who suggested that we could try linking up a car radio and battery and leave it on a "talky" Radio 4 type station, so that there is a constant stream of voices - or even better linking up to a timer so they come on and off, especially at key feed times during the day. Ferretboy111 - yes I have seen sparrowhawks take them. There seemed to be a family group in our area, and at times 4 or more could have been seen around the pen at any one time. I like the netting and old CDs ideas - will start gathering together in good time before rearing season. 7-12 weeks is a prime time for spars try as you may you will always loose a few, hanging shiny objects does work to a degree and the radio to come on and off is good for everything else, spars won't eat dead carcasses that they themselves have not killed and will only attract more unwanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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