They soar through the air without anyone noticing…until it’s too late. Hawks are now becoming a part of the landscape as they grow in numbers. But there is a downside.
Donna Swab with the Ohio Department of Nature Resources (ODNR) says they are top predators on the food chain – meaning they’re looking for prey that could include your pet.
April Kerwood found out first hand. “We really enjoyed the hawks when we first moved here before we had children and all of the sudden they became this threat,” she explains.
Kerwood raises a handful of chickens in her backyard in Hilliard but over the past year, two of them have been killed by hawks. She has even put up nets and other distractions to keep the hawks away, but it’s not working.
Swab says with the increase in population, hawks are increasing their hunt for food. Anything that moves on the ground that they can lift becomes a target.
“When they do spot prey … they can swoop pretty good for that surprise attack.”
That includes squirrels, mice, chipmunks and even your family dog.
More and more reports are surfacing of hawks swooping down on pets. One family in Worthington witnessed it firsthand. The owner was near the dog when it happened but was able to distract the bird before it made the grab.
But Kerwood wasn’t so lucky with her chickens. She says they are her pets and fears she will lose more as the hawk population continues to grow in Ohio.