VENICE, Fla. (WSVN) — A pair of hawks made their nest above a farm in Southwest Florida, attacking anyone on the property. The owner, with only an umbrella as her defense, is looking for help to relocate the birds to a safer place.
Odalys Hayes says she gets no peace outside her Venice home ever since a pair of red-shouldered hawks set up a nest on her farm’s property.
“Anytime we go to take the garbage out, which is a long way from the back of the house to here, they will attack us. Anything we do, out they will come and attack us,” she said.
She says she’s under constant attack from the birds, with only an umbrella as her defense.
But it’s not just her family. Her lawn guy, water guy, and even an official from the Florida Wildlife Commission have all been attacked by the hawks.
“Last year they cleared land near Venice and Havana. I don’t know if it has anything to do with it, but I’m assuming because that’s when the problem started,” Odalys said.
Odalys is concerned for the safety of customers who come to her business on the site. She’s contacted every agency from the FWC to the USDA.
“They’ve all been here; they’ve all been attacked. They can’t believe what I’m going through,” Odalys said. “But nobody can do anything; this is why I called you guys because I need help.”
She says she doesn’t want any harm to come to the hawks, but she also wants to be able to enjoy her home without an umbrella or helmet.
“They need, before they do something, to place them somewhere where they are safe and where they have plenty of land,” Odalys said.
Officials tried that once; however, the hawks came back and nested again.
Now, there is a sign in place, a warning that hawks are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Odalys, however, is left with few, if any, options.
“I’m not safe at all,” she said. “We have a statute that stipulates if people are being hurt and property is damaged, these agencies are supposed to do something, but they can’t.”
FWC officials say they’ve provided guidance on ways to prevent conflict with the hawks and to receive federal help.
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