Here are four things people should know about hawks and what they can do if they encounter them in their neighborhood.
People told the newspaper that they have resorted to covering their heads when going outside, and some have started carrying an umbrella for protection.Advertisement Attacks also led to a pause in mail delivery, but services have resumed on a day-to-day basis, according to theBrett Johnson, an urban biologist for the city of Dallas, said Texas is home to multiple types of hawks, including red-shouldered hawks — one of the species that could be responsible for the attacks in Austin.
Species like red-tailed hawks are often spotted around White Rock Lake and other parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth area.Johnson said he is not aware of reports of hawk attacks in Dallas, but added that he is aware of recent, unconfirmed reports of hawks scaring people in other parts of North Texas. “I don’t think anyone had been physically hurt, but there was reports of a red-tailed hawk swooping down being somewhat aggressive,” Johnson said. “They were also concerned about small pets.”Johnson said he had heard about hawk attacks in Austin, but he stressed how rare they are.Most hawks generally avoid people but are protective of their young when nesting, according to Jessica Alderson, the lead urban biologist for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.When protecting their young, hawks may “dive bomb” people or objects that get too close. Although it varies by species, young hawks remain in their nests for 44 to 48 days while they learn to fly.Because hawks are protected by federal and state law, people are limited in their solutions to deal with them.Under state law, people are not allowed to kill, injure, pursue or catch “non-game” birds like hawks. It is also illegal to “destroy the eggs, nest or young” of non-game birds, according to the state agency. In cases in which hawks are seen regularly swooping down on people or their pets, the wildlife department recommends residents to change their routes away from the nesting site. “If an alternate route is not possible, you can use an open umbrella to protect your head and upper body. It is also recommended to post signs or caution tape near the nesting bird site to remind others to be aware,” Alderson said in a written statement.People can also remove “prey attractants” from their yards to discourage hawks from nesting close to their homes. Attractants include brush piles, bird feeders or unsecured garbage bins.Residents are allowed to “discourage adult, non-nesting hawks” from building nests through methods like noise deterrents or thinning their tree canopy, but those activities are not allowed after a hawk lays an egg in the nest and becomes “active,” according to the state agency. Once fledglings or eggs are no longer dependent on the nest, people are allowed to remove and dispose of them. People are not allowed to keep nests that have been removed or found on the ground, however, without a permit issued by state and federal wildlife officials. “Under very limited circumstances, USFWS may issue permits to remove active nests. These permits are usually only issued when the particular nest is causing a human health or safety concern, or the nesting birds are in immediate danger,” according to the agency.
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