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The Original All Roller Talk Discussion Board Archive >
I just have to ask!
I just have to ask!
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Double D
17 posts
Sep 21, 2005
9:33 PM
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I don't have birds yet but as indicated earlier, I'm planning for next spring. I have read so many posts mentioning predators, sky sharks, whatever you want to call them. I've been watching the airways around my house alot the last few months and I must confess, I have only seen one day when there were 3 red tail hawks in the air and they weren't around my house as I saw them near a friend's home. However, many of you live in or near much larger cities than I live in and yet you seem to have a huge problem. Apparently this time of year is really bad and yet I don't see any around here. Now, where I live in Idaho, Pocatello to be exact, we have alot of farm land and wilderness where I often see these birds and maybe that's what keeps them out of the city. OR, maybe I'm just naive. As far as I know, there isn't anyone in Pocatello raising rollers and while there are plenty of wild pigeons, I've never seen a hawk take one out of the sky, much less near anyone's home. Are there those of you who don't deal with this problem at all? When I get birds should I be concerned that simply their presence in the air above my home will attract these predators. Why, for example are they such a problem around larger cities in California, that just seems odd to me. Would it be because there are so many fanciers flying rollers? As always, thanks in advance for putting up with newbie questions!
Darin
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motherlodelofts
285 posts
Sep 21, 2005
9:36 PM
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Darin I actualy have it easy here, but wait till you throw some birds up,that will be the true test.
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rotti
4 posts
Sep 22, 2005
3:33 AM
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Hey Darin. Hawks and other birds of prey don't seem to be as big a problem here in Idaho as elsewhere. Maybe in the late fall or early spring. But not very bad. We must have enough easier meals for them or something. I live just south of you and I've only been hit a few times. Haven't seen the hawks get one yet but I have seen them chase a bird or two. There are people flying rollers around here. Just nothing organized. It seems they are happy to all stay in their own backyards and not compete. Too bad. It would be great fun to fly in competition. Maybe some day. Don
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J_Star
54 posts
Sep 22, 2005
4:46 AM
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Double,
The problem is not just in CA. I live in Ohio and when I started with rollers, I didn’t think I would have a problem. I was wrong. I had seen one this spring snatch Sterling from the air around a tree. I saw them chase my rollers and drive them to the ground and catch them. I saw them dive from the sky like an arrow and chase a roller and drive it to the ground. A few days ago, I saw one dive from the sky while some were rolling and almost made contact with a roller that was rolling. Luckily his timing was off by one foot. I am the only one that is flying rollers in the city currently. Therefore, it is not that somebody is feeding them pigeons. A few blocks from my house, there is a person who has lots of racing homers and he has a problem with them. The problem always is when the birds are leaving the loft or coming to land or when circling above the tree tops. The problem is the hawks don't know that the rollers roll in the sky, what they think is that behavior is up normal and they think that they are injured and the one sided attraction begins. But in the late fall and during the winter is the worst time because they require more food to keep some fat for the winter months and a pigeon is lots of meet to them than a sparrow or a Sterling.
Jay
Last Edited by J_Star on Sep 22, 2005 5:25 AM
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Velo99
86 posts
Sep 22, 2005
12:59 PM
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How about this one.
If we gotta feed em, feed em rabbit. Rabbits can use the same type of facilites as pigeons and they breed like pigeons. Stake one out before you fly. When the pred has his meal,fly on bro!
MTC
v99
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motherlodelofts
288 posts
Sep 22, 2005
3:26 PM
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LOL v99 , if RedTails are a problem that would a fantastic idea but most problems are do to preds that are sky hunters.
This year we have zillions of voles around here, I have a Cooper that is allways on the ground jumping around at the bottom of the hill below my loft, I think that he's hunting voles which is odd.
Scott
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