There is an open season on crows, starlings, and English sparrows in Pennsylvania year round as far as I know. Not sure about the rest of the country.
I have often thought of building a hawk perch or 2 in my yard, although I do have several good-sized trees they can use. I’ve seen hawks somewhat regularly in my neighborhood and have seen one sitting on my chain link fence once and even sitting up on top of my car watching my garden one day. Maybe if I give them a nice high perch in the garden they will make it a more regular stop and take out a few of the evil chipmunks that steal so many berries, tomatoes and even some of the lower figs.
I’ve also thought of possibly putting a chicken wing up on the perch if I built it, at least a few times, to see if that would encourage them to come by. But I think I’d have to look that up and I’m guessing I’d find that it isn’t legal to feed raptors. Either way, if I thought I could get a hawk to come by regularly, I’d gladly put up a perch.
great article! I wish they’d have included a photo of a homemade hawk perch…
Nurseries almost always put sweet cherries on Mahaleb cherry, which dies in clay soil. I have some seedling sweet cherries on heavy clay soil, they have made monster trees and produced suckers and seedlings all around. Sweet cherry doesn’t mind clay, but if you bud your varieties onto it, the trees will grow really big and tall. So take your pick, dead, or too big?