Falcon Question

I am not sure if this is a good place to post this question or not. I am new to this site and love it so far. I have a couple questions about falcons. I have a feeder out for my birds and love watching them although I have a falcon who is using my feeder as a place to hunt other birds. How can I scare the falcon away from hunting in my yard? I do not wish to harm the falcon. He is a beautiful specimen, I wish I could get a good picture but I never know when he is going to be there hunting. I appreciate any feedback.
Thanks,
Mickey

Hi Mickey...Welcome to the Bird Watching Forum!! I don't know of any way to scare the birds of prey...they come through our yard too looking for a quick meal! They don't stay very long here and don't show up everyday (that I know of)!! Maybe someone will come along who can answer your question but I wanted to say welcome!!

Dellrose thank you for the nice welcome. At least today I know the falcon is not hunting, it is cold and raining and there are no birds to be found. I will be glad when the sunshine returns so that I can enjoy my birds again.

Best to do is provide some thick cover close to the table where birds can dive in to hide when a 'hawk alarm' is sounded by whichever bird sees the hawk (or falcon) first.

Resin

I do have a thick cover of flowers around the feeder. The birds that are able dive into them when the falcon comes along, but of course there are those that do not make it into the hiding place. He usually just catches sparrows, but I dont like seeing it. Recently I have had the joy of watching a pair of turtle doves training their young in my yard. It is so much fun to watch as they show them how to do things. I am not sure how many different varieties of birds I have come to the feeder, but I really enjoy the sight. I am physically disabled and have the feeder positioned where I can see them but they cannot see me so I get to see their natural behavior. Unfortunately our neighbor lets their cat out and it occasionally snatches one of my birds. I keep chasing him out of my yard but I am not able to keep watch all the time.

Are you sure it's a falcon? They normally hunt from a very high position and take birds in the air. A more likely suspect would be a Sharp-shinned Hawk or Cooper's Hawk. They quickly pick up on the ease of taking birds at feeders and make them a regular stop during feeding periods. You might try taking down your feeder for a month or so until the raptor takes you off his grocery list.

we are sure it is a falcon, my mom and dad and I all looked it up. It is larger than a hawk. It is a good idea to take my place off the grocery list.

I don't think I've seen any real "scientific data" that says accipters exploit feeders. The few studies I've seen suggests they don't. At least they don't visit feeders more than normal hunting grounds. Most of the attacks I've witnessed in my yard are on roosting Doves by Cooper's. Its usually only when one or two birds are present. I think alot of birds also means a lot of eyes. I don't mean to imply attacks at feeders dont happen, just that the feeders aren't anymore dangerous than native forage areas. Removing the feeders just moves the attack out of sight.

Here is a recent study:

Roth II, T.C., Vetter, W.E., and Lima, S.L. 2008. Spatial ecology of wintering accipiter hawks: Home range, habitat use, and the influence of bird feeders. Condor 110:260-268.

There is plenty of data on quail studies that show the benefits of feeders to quail are offset by congregating them near the feeders and making them more available to predators, mostly accipitors. Packsaddle Study in western OK by ODWC was the first using radio-collared quail. Research on Boone Pickens' Mesa Vista Ranch in TX showed the same for waterholes provided by Boone. There was no indication that the bobs used the water, but it was an attraction for meso-predators such as skunks and raccoons which eat quail eggs and often incubating birds.

Meikcle, a quick look at Sibley's shows a RT Hawk has a wingspan of 49 inches and a weight of 2.4 lb, while a Peregrine Falcon has a wingspan of 41 inches and a weight of 1.6 lb. Falcons are not larger than most hawks.

Well around here we only have smaller hawks and this falcon is larger than any I have seen around here. But I am sure that in general you are right.

I just dont like seeing him sore down and swoop up my birds. But like I said I would never do anything to hurt him.