Canspinners
29 posts
Dec 18, 2007
3:57 PM
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Otis thanks for your reply and response it is helpfull you are the only one to reply to such an important question regarding birds of prey problems.
The way things are going with this hobby it might be a good idea to have a coop of rollers and also a coop of crows or ravens should solve the bop problem real fast.
I had posted my question acouple of times without any response seems to me that with your first hand experience on with crows as a solution to BOP problems more people would pay attention.
JOHN
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Tony Chavarria
Site Publisher
2007 posts
Dec 18, 2007
4:25 PM
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What?! LMAO
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FLY ON! Tony Chavarria
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Oldfart
341 posts
Dec 18, 2007
5:49 PM
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Canspinners, echo, WHAT?
Thom
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J_Star
1492 posts
Dec 18, 2007
6:02 PM
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Check on it...I think crows are also protected birds. I don't know if you have to have a permit to keep them.
Jay
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Canspinners
31 posts
Dec 18, 2007
7:07 PM
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OLD FART AND TONY referring to post titled "SAD" I asked a question and nobody even responded except Otis with following.
"Hey Canspinners, Yes, ravens will harass coopers until they leave the area. Coopers eat raven nestlings in the spring and will attack mature ravens when food sources are scarce in the winter. I feed my pack of 5 old bread in the winter months and leave a large bird bath full of water in the summer months to entice them to set up near my house. They have saved quite a few young birds from sharpies and coopers and also will let you know when a raptor is in the area before you fly. Pay attention to thier cackles at all times as they are the only defense some of us have! Otis"
Hope this clarifys
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Oldfart
343 posts
Dec 19, 2007
10:51 AM
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canspinners, I thought that Otis's response was explanition enough, there was very little I could add. I have two resident pair of crows that I feed on a regular basis. I see Cooppers almost every day I have yet to see them fighting with the crows. They might if the coopers were to attack them or their young, I really don't know. Your post indicated that you thought the crows were the answer to the BOP problem. I do not, they might help but there is more problem then crows. I don't have a solution, I wish I did!
Thom
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Otis
86 posts
Dec 19, 2007
8:59 PM
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Hey Can and Oldfart, Unlike our rollers, most wild birds are unpredictable! I like most don't have a solution or remedy to the BOP problem, only noted experiences that I remember distinctly. One advantage we have over BOP's is our inate ability to out think them and the use of common sense. I've tried many legal methods -only- to thwart attacks, from spraying my birds with animal repellent to crow calls and I still get my share of redtails, coopers and falcons. I'm at the point of getting rid of my kit boxes and going back to a single loft along with eliminating fly pens altogether. We take our chances these days every time we fly. Locking down and resisting the urge to fly in unclean air helps keeping BOP's from getting an acquired taste of rollers and locking on to your location. They do return to the site of an easy kill, sometimes for years. I'm at the point of worrying if I'm getting enough airtime on my youngbirds before lockdown. Used to only get hit during migration, now it's all the time! I don't think I'll be cutting up any rabbits for my Ravens as some creatures are meant to stay wild!LOL My only consolation will be to retire an move to a warm, treeless, BOP free location....anyone know of one???? Otis
Last Edited by on Dec 19, 2007 9:03 PM
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Canspinners
32 posts
Dec 20, 2007
2:09 AM
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Otis and oldfart thanks for the information, the crows i saw were actually flying over the cooper and following him making alot of noise . You guys got me thinking maybe he grabbed one of their young ? my birds are locked down . ihave not noticed the cooper lately will find out in the spring. Thanks guys, Otis wish you all te best give it one more season maybe things will change his year
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Canspinners
33 posts
Dec 20, 2007
2:09 AM
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Otis and oldfart thanks for the information, the crows i saw were actually flying over the cooper and following him making alot of noise . You guys got me thinking maybe he grabbed one of their young ? my birds are locked down . ihave not noticed the cooper lately will find out in the spring. Thanks guys, Otis wish you all te best give it one more season maybe things will change his year
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wafer kits
56 posts
Dec 20, 2007
12:18 PM
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Otis;
Before you give up.....try flying portable! Al
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Sourland
100 posts
Dec 20, 2007
1:37 PM
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John, I have lived at the same location since '65. Until '04 there was an extended family (pair plus previous seasons young) of crows that nested in the pines behind my house. I got back into rollers in '03 and had a pretty good year-BOPS only got about 20% of the birds that I raised. In '04 West Nile virus wiped all of the crows out around here. From then until now I lost 85% or better of the birds that I raised. This year I finally gave up and gave almost all of my birds away. YES, a resident family of crows will harass BOPS during the breeding season. Do anything that you can to encourage ravens or crows to nest in your immediate area. JMO.
Geo.
Last Edited by on Dec 20, 2007 1:37 PM
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