You'd be better off going to a local fishing store and buying the longest cane pole they have.

use pvc, sold in 10-foot lengths. 1.5" should hold something like that. 2 sections at 20 feet should do.

Bury it 3 feet or more deep. Pole will flex its self.

Just what I would do if needed.


Doug

I was thinking of looking for a long piece of bamboo for the rod.  It is an invasive species here.

Danny,

Yes. The hawk is secured to the rod with the same wire from the inner skeleton but if more convenient you can use another fixation system. If the rod is not much flexible on the tip you may even consider angling the haw a bit, so it can be in a more natural hovering position.

I use natural cane (that grows invasive over here). The biggest ones reach 5-6 meters and sometimes have almost 2 inches of diameter at the base and less than the diameter of a finger at the tip. So with the hawk fixed at the tip they move quite a lot even with the lightest breeze.

I think your best bet is going to a fishing store or shopping warehouse, like Ray is suggesting, and buying a 6 meters (18 feet) fiberglass telescopic fishing rod (carbon will be more expensive) . The cheapest telescopic rod they have will do because it will not be used for fishing.
It doesn't need to be light so you can held it for long hours while fishing (that's why carbon is used versus fiber glass). It doesn't need to have SIC Titanium line Guides because abrasion on the fishing line will not be a problem. A graphite real seat will not be necessary also. And so on.
So, the cheapest telescopic rod they have with enough length will do fine.

If you can't find a telescopic rod, something like this might work :
http://www.basspro.com/B%E2%80%99n%E2%80%99M-Ray-Scott-Telescopic-Jigger-Pole/product/10222877/



Igor, 

The type of rod you are showing could also work if it has enough tip resistance, but they tend to have much lighter tips and maybe they can't support the weight of the silhouette. It depends on the rod model.
I would look for a fiberglass telescopic rod like the type used for beach seafishing. They tend to have much sturdier tips that are still quite flexible.

Some cheapest kite models from China use the same type of rod you are showing , but the hawk is not fixed directly on the rod so the tip can handle it better.
If you go for the kite approach that rod could perfectly work.

This is a kite model i saw in a Chinese store. It doesn't have the quality or resistance of the first one i showed in one of the first messages though. 

http://www.birdcontrol.uk.com/wp-content/uploads/hawk-instructions.jpg

Others ideas for kite models:
https://www.google.pt/search?q=bird+scarer+from+china&safe=off&espv=2&biw=1536&bih=844&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjhsp_qlu7OAhUCD8AKHWkEA5gQ_AUIBigB#safe=off&tbm=isch&q=bird+of+prey+flying+kite+bird+scarer&imgrc=H4GMSa0rd6dIRM%3A


A PVC pole could also be a good bet like Doug is suggesting. Cheap and flexible.


Steve,

If you have bamboo in your area it will be perfect. They are even sturdier and often longer than the canes i have over here.

I plan on using 1/2 inch pvc, which is more flexible, placed onto rebar driven into the ground.
I have some very long (8-10ft) water spouts growing on my pear trees that need to be pruned.
I can then push them into the top of the pvc, until they're secured and attach the hawk to the
tip. That should give me anywhere from 16-18 ft. with enough action to make the hawk move enough.

My question is do you use something like coat hanger wire for the frame, in order to make it more
sturdy, and then attach it to the pole with more flexible galvanized wire. Or is there a better system.     

Good idea, Ray. I think that will work.

I use a medium diameter galvanized wire in the frame. I use a smaller diameter, more flexible, to secure the hawk to the pole, because it makes the task easier.

This looks like a fun idea and relatively easy to do.... just wondering how long it lasts 'in the field' until the birds get used to it. 

I won't have figs until next year, but if anyone tries this would be interested let us know if/when they ever catch on and start ignorning it.

Can you give a pattern for the hawk with exact measurements? I m thinking about covering it with black plastic garbage bags and then tapeing it with duct tape and making duct tape tails covered with glitter.

Excellent idea,Thank you Jsacadura,I will use this to scare the crows.

I bought one of those plastic owls to scare the birds away. Very detailed and true to life in appearance. I looked out the window a couple days after buying it and saw a mockingbird perched on it's head. Glad I kept the receipt ;-)

Cynthia24,

Sorry, i missed your question. I used roughly a 16 inches by 12 inches silhouette of a falcon but there are plenty to choose from regarding sizes and shapes, in the net:
 


cjccmc,

Anything static won't work. Even the owls with the motorized or wobbly heads are not very effective, even if you place it on top of a pole and change location often.

I find this silhouette effective because it moves with the breeze simulating quite well a hovering hawk or falcon preparing a strike and most birds can't ignore that threat.