You can’t legally kill, trap, or relocate a hawk in the United States. Every hawk species is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which makes it unlawful to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, or sell migratory birds. Violations carry serious federal penalties. But you have plenty of legal options to discourage hawks from treating your yard, coop, or pets as a hunting ground.
Why Hawks Are Federally Protected
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. §§ 703–712) protects all native hawk species, and the protection extends to their feathers, eggs, and nests. There is no exception for hawks that are killing your chickens or stalking your small dog. If you’re experiencing serious, documented losses to hawk predation, you can contact USDA Wildlife Services as a first step. Their biologists will evaluate the damage and, if warranted, issue a recommendation form that you then submit to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regional office along with a permit application and fee. These depredation permits are narrow: they specify the species, the number of birds, the exact location, and the dates. They are not easy to get, and they’re reserved for situations where nonlethal methods have failed.
For the vast majority of people, the realistic path is making your property less attractive and less accessible to hawks.
Know Which Hawk You’re Dealing With
Two species cause most backyard conflicts. Red-tailed hawks are the large, broad-winged raptors you see soaring in open areas. They primarily hunt rodents and rabbits but will take free-range chickens, especially young ones. Cooper’s hawks are smaller, more agile, and built for speed through tight spaces. They specialize in hunting other birds, tearing through tree canopies in high-speed pursuit. Cooper’s hawks are the ones most likely showing up at your bird feeders, not for the seed, but for the songbirds eating it.
Identifying the species helps you choose the right deterrent strategy. A Cooper’s hawk hunting songbirds near your feeders requires different solutions than a red-tailed hawk circling your chicken run.
Cover Your Coop and Run
Physical barriers are the single most effective way to protect poultry. Hawks hunt from above, so an uncovered run is an open invitation. Stretch heavy-duty netting or welded wire mesh over the entire top of your run. Standard bird netting works but tears easily and can tangle birds. Cat netting (designed for outdoor cat enclosures) is sturdier, easier to handle, and holds up better against a hawk strike. Chicken wire secured across the top is another option, though it’s heavier and harder to install over large areas.
For larger runs, install tall posts (8 feet or higher) inside the run to support the overhead netting and prevent sagging. If full coverage isn’t possible, even running fishing line or wire in a crisscross pattern over the run creates visual obstacles that make hawks hesitant to dive. The goal is eliminating any clear flight path into the enclosure.
Remove What Attracts Hawks to Your Yard
Hawks go where the food is. If your yard is full of songbirds, rodents, or other small prey, hawks will keep coming back. Here’s what to change:
- Take down bird feeders temporarily. Feeders concentrate songbirds in one spot, which is exactly the setup a Cooper’s hawk exploits. Removing feeders for two to three weeks breaks the pattern and disperses the prey that drew the hawk in.
- Never leave birdseed on the ground. Ground-feeding birds are the most vulnerable to hawk attacks because they react slowly and have fewer escape routes. If you keep feeders up, switch to hanging platform feeders instead.
- Control rodent populations. Seal garbage and compost bins tightly, remove woodpiles and debris that shelter mice and rats, and address any pest issues. Fewer rodents means less reason for a red-tailed hawk to patrol your property.
- Add covered feeders. If you want to keep feeding songbirds, use feeders with solid roofs or place them under non-transparent covers like tarps or umbrellas. Hawks hunt by sight, so blocking their view of prey activity reduces strikes.
The National Wildlife Federation also recommends placing feeders within 3 feet of windows. This sounds counterintuitive, but birds startled by a hawk at close range can’t build enough speed to injure themselves if they fly into the glass.
Create Shelter for Prey Animals
If you’re trying to protect songbirds rather than eliminate them from your yard, give them places to hide. Plant native shrubs and evergreen trees near feeding areas. Build brush piles roughly 8 feet wide and 4 feet high within 20 feet of feeders. These give small birds a quick escape route when a hawk approaches. Dense vegetation near the ground is particularly effective because hawks need open space to maneuver during an attack.
Use Visual and Audio Deterrents
Reflective scare tape (the metallic ribbon you can string across a yard) creates flashing light and noise in the wind that makes hawks uncomfortable. Hang strips near coops, gardens, or feeding areas. Fake owl decoys can also discourage hawks, though their effectiveness drops quickly if you don’t move them every few days. Hawks are smart enough to recognize a stationary object as harmless.
Noise works in the moment. If you see a hawk perched nearby, yelling, clapping, or banging pots will typically drive it off. These short-term scare tactics won’t permanently solve the problem, but they reinforce the message that your yard isn’t a safe hunting zone.
Protect Small Pets Outdoors
Hawks occasionally target small dogs and cats, particularly those under 10 pounds. A red-tailed hawk can carry roughly half its body weight, so very small puppies and kittens are genuinely at risk. Cats are safest kept indoors. For small dogs, stay outside with them and keep them leashed. Your physical presence alone is a strong deterrent, since hawks avoid areas where large animals are active.
If a hawk is persistently hunting near your yard, carry an umbrella or walking stick when you take your dog out. Making yourself appear larger and more threatening discourages a hawk from attempting a strike. Some small dog owners use kevlar or spiked vests designed specifically for raptor protection, which prevent talons from penetrating during an attack.
Use Guardian Animals
Roosters are a classic and effective defense for backyard flocks. A good rooster watches the sky, sounds alarm calls when a raptor approaches, and physically herds hens toward cover. Not every rooster is equally vigilant, but the behavior is instinctive in many breeds. Adding a rooster to your flock is one of the simplest protective measures available.
Livestock guardian dogs, particularly breeds like Great Pyrenees and Anatolian Shepherds, can also deter hawks. These dogs don’t typically chase hawks out of the air, but their presence in and around a flock makes the area feel unsafe for a raptor. Some experienced poultry keepers use a layered approach: roosters provide the immediate alarm, guardian dogs provide the physical deterrent, and overhead vegetation or netting provides the structural barrier. Guard geese are another option. They’re loud, territorial, and large enough that hawks avoid the confrontation.
The most reliable results come from combining multiple strategies. A covered run, reduced prey attractants, and a vigilant rooster together create an environment where hawks simply move on to easier hunting grounds.