The HAWKBAIT MYTH
"We want to eat too"
"Mmmm.....BLUE BAR...my favourite"
Birds of prey are the ultimate hunters. Everything in their natural design is geared towards tracking, chasing and capturing their target. Their very survival depends on this innate ability to kill to survive. As pigeon fanciers, we look to the sky in fear and often anger as we see one of these dreaded creatures approach, cruising the sky like he owns it - with agility and speed that is powered by his insatiable appetite. We see the hunt and the kill so often, with a bad feeling in the pit of our stomachs, that we are sure he is doing it just for the thrill of the chase. Playing with us and jeopardising all that we have worked so hard for in our sport. The planning, breeding, tossing, feeding, cleaning, observing......and hoping. Often picking on the young we have just sent off for their first flight, full of anticipation. Or the weak, who hasn't been feeling 100% for the past day or two. Or our favourite cock or hen that we just took a liking to for some particular reason. We have had them come home ripped in half and there's nothing we can do to help them.
We curse him everytime we see him and scoff at the suggestion that these killing machines should be protected.  How is it possible that any bird of prey could ever be considered as vulnerable or in need of any protection? As we scratch our heads and wonder................
THE PERFECT KILLING MACHINE
......the daily struggle goes on for your worst enemy. The hawk or falcon that is such a problem to us has problems of his own. He is in a constant fight to feed himself and more importantly to raise his young. He doesn't have the charmed life of our spoiled pigeons who have everything provided for them, from every sort of grain, to minerals and always clean and fresh water. He is provided with nothing except what nature has blessed him with - the sharpest eyes, the strongest wings and the hunting instinct. And that is all he needs.
As bird lovers, or fanciers at least, we must find a sense of respect for birds of prey. Just think of it like this....they are doing you a favour. When he makes a meal out of one of yours he is saving your time and trouble. The time it takes to train and toss and basket a bird that never had the skill or speed to be a successful racer. The trouble it is to get rid of birds that aren't performing. Natural selection is a perfect process, you can't criticise it or find it at fault. It is better that the strong survive, and that this is decided by nature, not by a fancier.
I have great admiration for these birds and even though I still get a sinking feeling when I see that familiar figure in the sky, most of all I marvel at the wonder of it. I watch the chase in awe....and feel bad about my losses later. But in that moment I am just a bird lover watching the natural order of my favourite creatures in the wild.