“The Fine Line” Am I feeding or baiting?

[cshold]

I guess this explains the pile of bird feathers I’ve been finding under the bird feeder.

[gamekeeper]

I have the same problem.

[El Chivo]

you're feeding the hawk.

[Nath]

The only ones I find are dead

N.

[KCSO]

Cooper's Hawk? They are know for lurking over feeding areas. I got a picture just about like this off a neighbor's feeder last year, just to identify the hawk.

[Pisgah]

I heard a radio interview with a fellow from a raptor rescue center the other day. He made the point that, "When you feed the birds, you are feeding ALL the birds." Your pics are the perfect illustration of what he was saying.

[retmech]

You're just feeding "all" the birds! We have a similar situation with my wife's feeder. Redtail hawks come through quite often especially in the winter after the birds. Last winter she had me put our used Christmas tree under the feeder for the birds to perch on. We watched a Redtail for about 5 minutes trying to catch a sparrow. The sparrow stayed in the tree and the hawk kept hopping in after him but couldn't catch him and the hawk finally gave up.
I almost got nailed by the hawk myself. He came across the front of the garage just as I came out from the side and went by my face just inches away. Scared the s**** out of me!

[Batman1939]

Might actually be a Sharp-shinned Hawk (close relative of Cooper's Hawk though smaller). Sharpies have tail feathers all about the same length, whereas those of a Cooper's are graduated in length, being longer toward the middle of the tail "fan" than they are at the sides. Hard to tell the size of this bird from the photo alone, but a female SS may almost be as large as a male Cooper's. Females of both types are considerably larger than the males. Sharp-shinned Hawks are also predators of birds.

[rock-steady]

Hawks and Owls are one thing....now if it was a cat...well, I might have to step in and provide covering fire for the lil'birdies.

[AJMD429]

It's always fun when there's deep snow, and the accipter swoops in, because the instant before it happens, most of the prey-birds will zoom off the feeder and bury themselves in the snow. First time I saw it took me by surprise, until a second later, the accipter made a strafing run and managed to snatch a laggard chickadee.

Humans are lucky to have most of their lives without moment-by-moment fear of predators striking.

[cas]

I vote female Merlin.

[Tycer]

I love the moments after the predator is sighted and everybody freezes in time. Nobody blinks. It's like the twilight zone. One squirrel we have molds himself to the pole the feeder is on - I'm a pole, I'm a pole, I'm a pole, I'm a pole.......

[Mike D.]

Redtails aren't really "birders". Accipiters, like Cooper's and Sharp Shinned only eat birds and are very good at it. Short wings and a long tail let them fly through trees and brush in pursuit of their prey. I have no problem with them, they gotta eat, too.

[pwl44m]

Feeding or Baiting depends on what U do when They come for Lunch.

[Ysabel Kid]

I'd start feeding birds if I could get one of those to hang around!

[retmech]

Redtails aren't really "birders". Accipiters, like Cooper's and Sharp Shinned only eat birds and are very good at it. Short wings and a long tail let them fly through trees and brush in pursuit of their prey. I have no problem with them, they gotta eat, too.

I was not aware of that but they get a fair amount of birds around my place. I have been amazed at them occasionally getting a sparrow or chickadee out of our barberry hedge. I'm not quite sure how they do it being so big but I 've seen them hop into the hedge and later come out with a bird. I'm always finding piles of feathers around, primarily Dove feathers. Like you said , they've got to eat too.