By Jay V. Huner
Journal Correspondent

During the Christmas Holidays, we visited kinfolks in the west-central Louisiana out in the "piney woods". I noted two 0.22 rifles by the door which faced the "chicken yard". I asked if they were there for bob cats--another story. Nope, they were there to "discourage chicken hawks" from eating the family's chickens.

Chicken hawks--a controversial topic! Kill or injure any hawk and you are subject to BOTH federal and state laws that protect all hawks and non-game birds. You can, of course, "frighten" chicken hawks but you cannot injure them.

The piney woods area of Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi is home to four chicken hawks - Cooper's Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, and Red-tailed Hawk. Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks are year-round resident birds that breed in our area. They are joined in the fall and winter by thousands of their northern cousins seeking relief from winter's cold. A few Cooper's Hawks breed in Louisiana but they are not common until wintering birds arrive.

Some 25 species of Falconiformes (raptors) have been recorded in Louisiana and 16 breed in the state. The American Kestrel, often called sparrow hawk, is not larger than a robin and the Bald Eagle and Black and Turkey Vultures are amongst the largest birds in North America.

But, back to chicken hawks - Cooper's Hawks were well known predators on backyard chickens when almost every rural household had flocks of chickens. Cooper's Hawks are classified as "Accipiters." They have rounded wings and long tails that allow them to hunt in confined wooded and brushy areas and the confines of an open chicken coop. Now, with few loose chickens around they continue to hunt birds and small rodents. In fact, more and more birders report Cooper's Hawks in urban and suburban areas feeding on Rock Doves (pigeons), Eurasian-collared Doves, and Mourning Doves.

The Red-shouldered, Broad-winged, and Red-tailed Hawks are classified as "Buteos" based on their long, broad wings and broad tails. But, these three species can exist together because their niches differ a bit so they do not compete directly for food, nesting places, etc. The Red-shouldered and Broad-winged Hawks are found in woodland and brushy areas like Cooper's Hawks. Their bodies, especially their wings, are modified so that they can maneuver in tight places. Red-tailed Hawks are found in more open areas and are our most common "power line" hawks.

The Broad-winged Hawk is primarily a spring-summer bird in Louisiana with most migrating south to Latin America to spend the winter. This removes them from competition with Red-shouldered Hawks then. Furthermore, their niches are separate enough to reduce competition during the breeding season.

If you have chickens that need protecting, there is a source of help. Contact your local county or parish agricultural extension service agent. He or she will put you in touch with the United States Department of Agriculture's nearest wildlife damage control specialist with the department's Wildlife Services Agency. Simple things like keeping chickens in a fenced yard with monofilament line strung across the top of the yard work very well to discourage winged chicken thieves that can include owls!

A good bird field guide will help you to identify the various hawks, eagles, falcons, and vultures in our region. But, remember, practice makes perfect. Young birds often differ greatly in color to adults and sometimes male birds differ from female birds. And, there are also numerous color variations amongst subspecies, especially in the various kinds of Red-tailed Hawks. Many hawk species include melanistic ("black") forms. Readers interested in a really nice 2008 "hawk" calendar may wish to contact the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program - Sandra@btnep.org - to obtain a copy of its newly released "2008 Louisiana Raptors - Birds of Prey" calendar. The images are wonderful and the text will make you a very knowledgeable "hawk" expert.

Jay V. Huner, Louisiana Ecrevisse, 428 Hickory Hill Drive, Boyce, Louisiana 71409, 318 793-5529, piku@classicnet.net

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