Do hawks eat ducks?

kodiakhuntmaster · 12-05-2002, 10:46 PM

I saw a hawk today, it was about a foot tall, and was brownish except for the tail which was black with horizontal thin white stripes. What kind of hawk is this? do they eat ducks?

"Hey ya'll, watch this"

Jambruins · 12-06-2002, 06:45 AM

I am not sure what kind of hawk that was but when I was hunting ducks a few years ago I saw a hawk flying around. There were about 10 ducks on the water about 100 yards away from me. The hawk started circling over them and then started swooping down at them. Whenever it got close enough the ducks would dive under water. He did this for about 5 minutes but never got one. So, I guess to answer your question I would say hawks do eat ducks if they can catch them.

Deleted User · 12-06-2002, 03:33 PM

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rbduck · 12-06-2002, 07:58 PM

A buddy of mine hunts upland and waterfowl with falcons(legal here in Manitoba). He always rewards the bird with a tidbit from the kill and I save the carcasses from my hunting trips for him to feed the falcons with. If a falcon eats the ducks I am sure that hawks do to.

Ron<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

PaintballB4Girl · 12-06-2002, 10:20 PM

Well I have some domestic mallards at my house that are HUGE... bigger then most northerns i see. These suckers are just BIG... they are fed every day and arent very young.

A few years ago I sat and watched one as it was eaten by a bald eagle. I couldnt do anything, an eagle is well, an eagle. Cant touch them. I was a little pissed but yeah, hawks will do it to. I've seen one diving at some divers once, but didnt score... Man he wanted one.

I just gotta hunt

Dan O. · 12-07-2002, 03:50 AM

Yes hawks eat ducks. Sometimes the hawks eyes are too big for their stomaches though. One time a red tailed hawk swooped down on a 5-6 lb domestic duck we had. When I got there the duck and hawk were both looking eye to eye with the hawk holding the duck with one talon and trying to figure out what to do with the bird that was bigger than him.

Dan O.

JimPic · 12-07-2002, 07:14 AM

There's a small pond on the property where I work and a few times I've seen Red-tailed hawks take both young ducklings and adult Mallards.

kodiakhuntmaster · 12-07-2002, 05:06 PM

Just so you know, the hawk had maybe 5 white horizontal stripes a good space apart on his tail.

I've hunted with falconers before and it never fails to amaze me how big an animal a little falcon will go after.

Do you think the hawk population effects the duck population any? I manage my land pretty well but things that are out of my controll like hawks worry me sometimes.

"Hey ya'll, watch this"

Jambruins · 12-09-2002, 10:27 AM

How do you hunt ducks with falcons?

drgildy · 12-09-2002, 06:17 PM

From your description I would say it was a Marsh hawk also sometimes called a Harrier. One of the worst avian predators is the great Horned owl. They will take a mallard sized duck a day if their territory includes a wetland with an ample supply of ducks. They will kill birds up to a Mute swan in size and also Canada geese. Larger birds like this they do not tackle normally but they can and will when they feel up to it.