Sparrow hawk attack

[Sojourner]

You're allowed to scare them off, but you're not allowed to trap or shoot them. And the migratory bird act is not limited to the US, its an international treaty. So pretty much everywhere - it is at least technically illegal to trap birds without the proper permits.

Obviously not all signatories are administering this the same way, and there are probably more than a few that virtually ignore it - but it is on the books, and not just in the USA.

We had a nesting pair of bald eagles near my rural property, until they just disappeared one day. I'm pretty sure the idiot down the road shot one or both birds - he was always shooting at buzzards and hawks, even though he WORKED FOR FORESTRY.

Eventually he got caught and they fired him, but not before our golden eagles were gone.

In the case of a chicken farmer with a persistent hawk problem, the solution would be for Fish & Wildlife to come in and advise the farmer. If necessary, THEY would trap and band the bird, and release it somewhere else if possible. Actually killing it would be the last resort and I doubt it has ever been done very often. They're birds, not grizzly bears.