Well now that nesting is done Coopers Hawk or hawks are back daily after birds at my feeders. Still no luck as there are no feathers everywhere. Today I looked out to see the one walking along the grass inbetween the feeder and house. They are really after my Quail.

Hey, hawks need to eat too.

But, I agree, it can be a little frustrating to watch them go after the smaller songbirds. Do you have any good cover near your feeders? Scrubby bushes or small trees are best, also brush piles. Big trees don't help as much, since hawks will sit up high and simply "drop" onto the smaller birds.

Maybe if you can lure the less-desirable house sparrows into a feeder out in the open, the hawks might go after them instead of other native birds.

Other than this, I don't know what else you can do. Personally, I just let the hawks come by, but I do make sure that there is good coverso the smaller birds are more secure.

Yah i have some great cover including wild roses all along the back but I've seen one Coopers Hawk just sit and wait. Well I scared him off. The small birds play a huge roll in helping quail get away. They fly into the trees and shrubs in a hurry which the quail pick right up on and flee themselves. So far no catching going on in the yard.
I know it happens but I don't want it happening under a feeded.

Hi There,

From an ecology perspective the hawks are there because the feeders have drawn the smaller birds in at a higher density then normal and to a predictable location. (not that feeders are bad - I would have them in a moment if the landlords would let me

I would suggest that you stop feeding for a few weeks. The small birds will quickly disperse (i.e. the snack bar will disappear) and the hawks should head out soon after. Once you aren't seeing the hawks anymore (maybe a week or two?) put the feeders up again. This worked at my parents place a couple years ago.

Cheers

Birder Girl

We're in an area full of hawks and the like. My plantings and the natural trees would bring birds in regardless. After I posted I hadn't seen a Coopers Hawk around much. I did have that Sharp shinned I posted about.