could a 1.5 pound Cooper's Hawk injure or kill a free-roam backyard rabbit that weights 5 pounds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live on a farm and have some Cooper's hawks nesting in one of my trees.

When I mow hay, they hunt. Once one of them scooped up a full grown wild rabbit to my side, then took it to a fencepost and devoured it. I don't know how much they each weighed, but I wouldn't think what you are doing is absolutely safe. It's a risk. It'll probably be fine for a while, then one day it might not. I'd probably be OK with the risk when I was out there, but not let them free range all day.

OP here. Is there something I could put in the backyard to ward off the hawks? Shiny metallic objects, maybe?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have rabbits that like to romp around in the backyard most of the day.

Lately, I've seen a Cooper's hawk hanging out in nearby trees. It caught a squirrel and devoured it while sitting on the roof of our shed. A squirrel weighs only about one pound, while our rabbits weigh five pounds each. Are our rabbits safe? Or could a hawk overpower a much larger rabbit?

No not safe. Nice snack for hawk!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live on a farm and have some Cooper's hawks nesting in one of my trees.

When I mow hay, they hunt. Once one of them scooped up a full grown wild rabbit to my side, then took it to a fencepost and devoured it. I don't know how much they each weighed, but I wouldn't think what you are doing is absolutely safe. It's a risk. It'll probably be fine for a while, then one day it might not. I'd probably be OK with the risk when I was out there, but not let them free range all day.

OP here. Is there something I could put in the backyard to ward off the hawks? Shiny metallic objects, maybe?

Ha! Build the a shed with a cover like a catio but for bunnies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live on a farm and have some Cooper's hawks nesting in one of my trees.

When I mow hay, they hunt. Once one of them scooped up a full grown wild rabbit to my side, then took it to a fencepost and devoured it. I don't know how much they each weighed, but I wouldn't think what you are doing is absolutely safe. It's a risk. It'll probably be fine for a while, then one day it might not. I'd probably be OK with the risk when I was out there, but not let them free range all day.

OP here. Is there something I could put in the backyard to ward off the hawks? Shiny metallic objects, maybe?

Ha! Build the a shed with a cover like a catio but for bunnies

They actually spend most of their outdoor time in the crawl space underneath our shed. But maybe an hour each afternoon, they are out in the yard munching clover and grass. During that time, they are exposed. But I hate to deprive them of that time because they enjoy themselves so much.

[Anonymous]

No idea, but we have lots of hawks and owls etc. I don’t let our cat out in the yard- generally assume some predator or another could nab a cat easily. I’d feel the same about a small dog, and certainly a rabbit. That doesn’t even take coyotes, potential roaming dogs or cats into account. All of those could certainly kill a rabbit.

[Anonymous]

Just saw a hawk eat a nice little (non-pet) bunny the other day in my backyard.

[Anonymous]

We’ve had a few dive bomb our chickens, who are about the same size as the hawks if not bigger. Never gotten one but I don’t let the chickens out when I see a Cooper’s hawk out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live on a farm and have some Cooper's hawks nesting in one of my trees.

When I mow hay, they hunt. Once one of them scooped up a full grown wild rabbit to my side, then took it to a fencepost and devoured it. I don't know how much they each weighed, but I wouldn't think what you are doing is absolutely safe. It's a risk. It'll probably be fine for a while, then one day it might not. I'd probably be OK with the risk when I was out there, but not let them free range all day.

OP here. Is there something I could put in the backyard to ward off the hawks? Shiny metallic objects, maybe?

Ha! Build the a shed with a cover like a catio but for bunnies

They actually spend most of their outdoor time in the crawl space underneath our shed. But maybe an hour each afternoon, they are out in the yard munching clover and grass. During that time, they are exposed. But I hate to deprive them of that time because they enjoy themselves so much.

The perfect spot for a fox den.

[Anonymous]

Hawks are the most bada$$ birds in the land! Red tailed are my favorite, followed by Cooper's. They are fierce hunters, so keep close to your bunnies when they are outside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live on a farm and have some Cooper's hawks nesting in one of my trees.

When I mow hay, they hunt. Once one of them scooped up a full grown wild rabbit to my side, then took it to a fencepost and devoured it. I don't know how much they each weighed, but I wouldn't think what you are doing is absolutely safe. It's a risk. It'll probably be fine for a while, then one day it might not. I'd probably be OK with the risk when I was out there, but not let them free range all day.

OP here. Is there something I could put in the backyard to ward off the hawks? Shiny metallic objects, maybe?

Ha! Build the a shed with a cover like a catio but for bunnies

They actually spend most of their outdoor time in the crawl space underneath our shed. But maybe an hour each afternoon, they are out in the yard munching clover and grass. During that time, they are exposed. But I hate to deprive them of that time because they enjoy themselves so much.

The perfect spot for a fox den.

The crawl space has only about 3 or 4 inches of clearance. The rabbits have to flatten themselves to crawl underneath. A fox would have to do a good deal of digging to get under the shed. Maybe with an hour of effort a fox could do it, but we don't leave the rabbits out at night. The rabbits come indoors at dinner time, so they don't spend the night outside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live on a farm and have some Cooper's hawks nesting in one of my trees.

When I mow hay, they hunt. Once one of them scooped up a full grown wild rabbit to my side, then took it to a fencepost and devoured it. I don't know how much they each weighed, but I wouldn't think what you are doing is absolutely safe. It's a risk. It'll probably be fine for a while, then one day it might not. I'd probably be OK with the risk when I was out there, but not let them free range all day.

OP here. Is there something I could put in the backyard to ward off the hawks? Shiny metallic objects, maybe?

Ha! Build the a shed with a cover like a catio but for bunnies

They actually spend most of their outdoor time in the crawl space underneath our shed. But maybe an hour each afternoon, they are out in the yard munching clover and grass. During that time, they are exposed. But I hate to deprive them of that time because they enjoy themselves so much.

Why don't you build or buy a run for them? That way they can eat clover and grass and not get nommed by a hawk (or eagle, or cat, or dog, or coyote, or fox....)

[Anonymous]

Absolutely, yes. I have to watch my 5 pound dog.... um, like a hawk. Ha

[Anonymous]

Friends who raised chickens in this area had to build mobile cages for them to allow them in the grass, so they wouldn't get devoured by hawks during the day.

[Anonymous]

A hawk might eat your bunny but death is part of life and they’re probably much happier with outdoor time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Friends who raised chickens in this area had to build mobile cages for them to allow them in the grass, so they wouldn't get devoured by hawks during the day.

+1. It's some chicken wire, some 2x4s, and a few hours. Your bunnies will thank you! Or at least, they'll live their best lives and not be eaten in the process.

signed, a birdwatcher who appreciates hawks and the circle of life and all that, but we need to be realistic here