Buzzards

[Guest Rod&dog]

Also what ive found is helpfull i would not say its garanteed to stop BOPS preying on the poults but it deffenetly makes there job harder. Is to cut your feed ride in your pen in more of a zig zag shape rather than a straight.

 

The first pen shows the Straight feed ride method with the blue hoppers and red bell drinkers and the second picture shows the criss cross more mazey tipe feed rides with the blue hoppers and red bell drinkers.

 

Feed ride example one

 

 

Feed ride example two

 

[poacherjoe 1]

8 dead birds in the last few days some have had there heads taken off im told this is a tawny owl correct??

45 gallon drum 3/4 full of water .have the drum tilted at an angle so the water is almost pouring out.Have this situated near the pen.works a treat mate . dont ask just try it

atb andri

How does that work? I was told by a gamekeeper that tawny owls take the heads off!! The electric fence is on and there is no holes for a mink to get in!!

 

polcats, mink and stoats can climb or they will go through a pop hole also as said it could be a bird of prey, just because theres an electric fence it doesnt make it bomb proof if u know what i mean

[ROB.BOB 21]

apparently if you cut an old feed sack down three sides so it make a big rectangle and then paint really big eyes on them, and then have them pointing upwards from your pen, it poped up on here some time before.

apparently raptors size each other up by looking at the size of their eyes

 

probly no help but hope it dose

[EskdaleHawks 8]

I am a falconer and I also shoot and have done so for nearly 35 yrs.

Lets start with the Spar! If you look at the size of the Spar it is tiny!

The largest prey item I have seen a female spar take in the wild is a feral pigeon in the town. You can discount the male spar or musket due to his diminutive size as he usually hunts song birds!

It is not possible for these little raptors to overcome larger prey on their own unless assisted by an Austringer!

Next on the list is the Tawny Owl! Tawny's can be aggressive and Yes these will take poults and can be a real nuisance at a pen when the poults are small but he will only take them up to a certain size.

Then it's the turn of The Buzzard, again these birds will only take poults up to a certain size. This is because despite their large appearance they have have relatively small feet in comparison to their size. They can and do take Rabbits but again these are usually small in size.

The only bird that rightly deserves the top spot is the Goshawk, supreme woodland specialist that does not need any help from man with what it does best, and that is catch and kill fur and feather in any terrain. As for as deterrents! Use old feed bags tied to the wire of the pen with baler twine and provide plenty of cover for the poults. Please look at things logically!

Anything with the word "Hawk" in it seems to strike fear in shooting folk. The birds hunt to survive and react to a concentration of prey items! This simplist way to combat the problem would be to put down an excess of birds but this is obviously not practical!

 

I hope this helps?

[Blakloks 5]

I am a falconer and I also shoot and have done so for nearly 35 yrs.

Lets start with the Spar! If you look at the size of the Spar it is tiny!

The largest prey item I have seen a female spar take in the wild is a feral pigeon in the town. You can discount the male spar or musket due to his diminutive size as he usually hunts song birds!

It is not possible for these little raptors to overcome larger prey on their own unless assisted by an Austringer!

Next on the list is the Tawny Owl! Tawny's can be aggressive and Yes these will take poults and can be a real nuisance at a pen when the poults are small but he will only take them up to a certain size.

Then it's the turn of The Buzzard, again these birds will only take poults up to a certain size. This is because despite their large appearance they have have relatively small feet in comparison to their size. They can and do take Rabbits but again these are usually small in size.

The only bird that rightly deserves the top spot is the Goshawk, supreme woodland specialist that does not need any help from man with what it does best, and that is catch and kill fur and feather in any terrain. As for as deterrents! Use old feed bags tied to the wire of the pen with baler twine and provide plenty of cover for the poults. Please look at things logically!

Anything with the word "Hawk" in it seems to strike fear in shooting folk. The birds hunt to survive and react to a concentration of prey items! This simplist way to combat the problem would be to put down an excess of birds but this is obviously not practical!

 

I hope this helps?

so why is a gamekeeper of 40 years experience saying a tawny owl? Would a goshawk just take the heads off??

Edited July 25, 2009 by Blakloks

[EskdaleHawks 8]

I am a falconer and I also shoot and have done so for nearly 35 yrs.

Lets start with the Spar! If you look at the size of the Spar it is tiny!

The largest prey item I have seen a female spar take in the wild is a feral pigeon in the town. You can discount the male spar or musket due to his diminutive size as he usually hunts song birds!

It is not possible for these little raptors to overcome larger prey on their own unless assisted by an Austringer!

Next on the list is the Tawny Owl! Tawny's can be aggressive and Yes these will take poults and can be a real nuisance at a pen when the poults are small but he will only take them up to a certain size.

Then it's the turn of The Buzzard, again these birds will only take poults up to a certain size. This is because despite their large appearance they have have relatively small feet in comparison to their size. They can and do take Rabbits but again these are usually small in size.

The only bird that rightly deserves the top spot is the Goshawk, supreme woodland specialist that does not need any help from man with what it does best, and that is catch and kill fur and feather in any terrain. As for as deterrents! Use old feed bags tied to the wire of the pen with baler twine and provide plenty of cover for the poults. Please look at things logically!

Anything with the word "Hawk" in it seems to strike fear in shooting folk. The birds hunt to survive and react to a concentration of prey items! This simplist way to combat the problem would be to put down an excess of birds but this is obviously not practical!

 

I hope this helps?

so why is a gamekeeper of 40 years experience saying a tawny owl? Would a goshawk just take the heads off??

 

?????? I have not said that the keeper is wrong or what I suspect is taking these poults! I have only outlined what birds will/will not take them and have stated reasons! The gos would more than likley take the poult away rather than eat it on the spot if it were feeding young. If the birds are being eaten on the spot then that would point to an individual bird of an as yet unidentified species targeting the pen. No! A gos would not just remove the head. If the heads are being removed then it could be fox cubs??? Just for the record I have beat, picked-up and help out with keepering duties for a number of years! Why the seemingly aggressive attitude?

Edited July 25, 2009 by EskdaleHawks

[upperlane2 4]

hi there we have buzzard nesting in tree in our pens put ur empty meal bags up with rope around ur pen it stops them dropping in must be movement off bags and dont shoot all ur rabbits around pen they will take them first

[jack 4]

I am a falconer and I also shoot and have done so for nearly 35 yrs.

Lets start with the Spar! If you look at the size of the Spar it is tiny!

The largest prey item I have seen a female spar take in the wild is a feral pigeon in the town. You can discount the male spar or musket due to his diminutive size as he usually hunts song birds!

It is not possible for these little raptors to overcome larger prey on their own unless assisted by an Austringer!

Next on the list is the Tawny Owl! Tawny's can be aggressive and Yes these will take poults and can be a real nuisance at a pen when the poults are small but he will only take them up to a certain size.

Then it's the turn of The Buzzard, again these birds will only take poults up to a certain size. This is because despite their large appearance they have have relatively small feet in comparison to their size. They can and do take Rabbits but again these are usually small in size.

The only bird that rightly deserves the top spot is the Goshawk, supreme woodland specialist that does not need any help from man with what it does best, and that is catch and kill fur and feather in any terrain. As for as deterrents! Use old feed bags tied to the wire of the pen with baler twine and provide plenty of cover for the poults. Please look at things logically!

Anything with the word "Hawk" in it seems to strike fear in shooting folk. The birds hunt to survive and react to a concentration of prey items! This simplist way to combat the problem would be to put down an excess of birds but this is obviously not practical!

 

I hope this helps?

hen sparrow hawks will also take fully grown french and english partridges which are bigger than ferral pigeons

[EskdaleHawks 8]

I am a falconer and I also shoot and have done so for nearly 35 yrs.

Lets start with the Spar! If you look at the size of the Spar it is tiny!

The largest prey item I have seen a female spar take in the wild is a feral pigeon in the town. You can discount the male spar or musket due to his diminutive size as he usually hunts song birds!

It is not possible for these little raptors to overcome larger prey on their own unless assisted by an Austringer!

Next on the list is the Tawny Owl! Tawny's can be aggressive and Yes these will take poults and can be a real nuisance at a pen when the poults are small but he will only take them up to a certain size.

Then it's the turn of The Buzzard, again these birds will only take poults up to a certain size. This is because despite their large appearance they have have relatively small feet in comparison to their size. They can and do take Rabbits but again these are usually small in size.

The only bird that rightly deserves the top spot is the Goshawk, supreme woodland specialist that does not need any help from man with what it does best, and that is catch and kill fur and feather in any terrain. As for as deterrents! Use old feed bags tied to the wire of the pen with baler twine and provide plenty of cover for the poults. Please look at things logically!

Anything with the word "Hawk" in it seems to strike fear in shooting folk. The birds hunt to survive and react to a concentration of prey items! This simplist way to combat the problem would be to put down an excess of birds but this is obviously not practical!

 

I hope this helps?

hen sparrow hawks will also take fully grown french and english partridges which are bigger than ferral pigeons

If you read the post I said that the largest prey item that "I" have seen a hen spar take is a feral pigeon, What I am saying, is that it is not possible for them to take anything much bigger becuase they they do not have the physical strength to do so. The exception being a trained bird that has the help of an Austringer to dispatch larger quarry! In this case the bird can beed trained and encouraged to take larger quarry but it is still limited to what it can take. Trained female spars are regularly flown at partridge. Pheasants are best left to the Gos men. Apologies! I digress!

[OldNog 432]

I am a falconer and I also shoot and have done so for nearly 35 yrs.

Lets start with the Spar! If you look at the size of the Spar it is tiny!

The largest prey item I have seen a female spar take in the wild is a feral pigeon in the town. You can discount the male spar or musket due to his diminutive size as he usually hunts song birds!

It is not possible for these little raptors to overcome larger prey on their own unless assisted by an Austringer!

Next on the list is the Tawny Owl! Tawny's can be aggressive and Yes these will take poults and can be a real nuisance at a pen when the poults are small but he will only take them up to a certain size.

Then it's the turn of The Buzzard, again these birds will only take poults up to a certain size. This is because despite their large appearance they have have relatively small feet in comparison to their size. They can and do take Rabbits but again these are usually small in size.

The only bird that rightly deserves the top spot is the Goshawk, supreme woodland specialist that does not need any help from man with what it does best, and that is catch and kill fur and feather in any terrain. As for as deterrents! Use old feed bags tied to the wire of the pen with baler twine and provide plenty of cover for the poults. Please look at things logically!

Anything with the word "Hawk" in it seems to strike fear in shooting folk. The birds hunt to survive and react to a concentration of prey items! This simplist way to combat the problem would be to put down an excess of birds but this is obviously not practical!

 

I hope this helps?

 

rubbish

 

iv seen both musket and a female spar on poults in pens in used to look after.

[Blakloks 5]

I am a falconer and I also shoot and have done so for nearly 35 yrs.

Lets start with the Spar! If you look at the size of the Spar it is tiny!

The largest prey item I have seen a female spar take in the wild is a feral pigeon in the town. You can discount the male spar or musket due to his diminutive size as he usually hunts song birds!

It is not possible for these little raptors to overcome larger prey on their own unless assisted by an Austringer!

Next on the list is the Tawny Owl! Tawny's can be aggressive and Yes these will take poults and can be a real nuisance at a pen when the poults are small but he will only take them up to a certain size.

Then it's the turn of The Buzzard, again these birds will only take poults up to a certain size. This is because despite their large appearance they have have relatively small feet in comparison to their size. They can and do take Rabbits but again these are usually small in size.

The only bird that rightly deserves the top spot is the Goshawk, supreme woodland specialist that does not need any help from man with what it does best, and that is catch and kill fur and feather in any terrain. As for as deterrents! Use old feed bags tied to the wire of the pen with baler twine and provide plenty of cover for the poults. Please look at things logically!

Anything with the word "Hawk" in it seems to strike fear in shooting folk. The birds hunt to survive and react to a concentration of prey items! This simplist way to combat the problem would be to put down an excess of birds but this is obviously not practical!

 

I hope this helps?

so why is a gamekeeper of 40 years experience saying a tawny owl? Would a goshawk just take the heads off??

 

?????? I have not said that the keeper is wrong or what I suspect is taking these poults! I have only outlined what birds will/will not take them and have stated reasons! The gos would more than likley take the poult away rather than eat it on the spot if it were feeding young. If the birds are being eaten on the spot then that would point to an individual bird of an as yet unidentified species targeting the pen. No! A gos would not just remove the head. If the heads are being removed then it could be fox cubs??? Just for the record I have beat, picked-up and help out with keepering duties for a number of years! Why the seemingly aggressive attitude?

No agression meant friend your info is usefull and welcome! I dont think its foxs we have snared 2 in the last week and the electric fence is kicking out some voltage i know because i was the guinea pig!!! Im just stumped why something would kill a poult rip the head off and go!! Whats a musket?

Edited July 26, 2009 by Blakloks

[EskdaleHawks 8]

I am a falconer and I also shoot and have done so for nearly 35 yrs.

Lets start with the Spar! If you look at the size of the Spar it is tiny!

The largest prey item I have seen a female spar take in the wild is a feral pigeon in the town. You can discount the male spar or musket due to his diminutive size as he usually hunts song birds!

It is not possible for these little raptors to overcome larger prey on their own unless assisted by an Austringer!

Next on the list is the Tawny Owl! Tawny's can be aggressive and Yes these will take poults and can be a real nuisance at a pen when the poults are small but he will only take them up to a certain size.

Then it's the turn of The Buzzard, again these birds will only take poults up to a certain size. This is because despite their large appearance they have have relatively small feet in comparison to their size. They can and do take Rabbits but again these are usually small in size.

The only bird that rightly deserves the top spot is the Goshawk, supreme woodland specialist that does not need any help from man with what it does best, and that is catch and kill fur and feather in any terrain. As for as deterrents! Use old feed bags tied to the wire of the pen with baler twine and provide plenty of cover for the poults. Please look at things logically!

Anything with the word "Hawk" in it seems to strike fear in shooting folk. The birds hunt to survive and react to a concentration of prey items! This simplist way to combat the problem would be to put down an excess of birds but this is obviously not practical!

 

I hope this helps?

 

rubbish

 

iv seen both musket and a female spar on poults in pens in used to look after.

How big were the poults?

Thats like saying a merlin is capable of taking a crow?? Weighing only a few ounces Muskets do not have the phyical strength or the equipment to over power large quarry! You may have seen them on dead poults, but live ones????

[EskdaleHawks 8]

I am a falconer and I also shoot and have done so for nearly 35 yrs.

Lets start with the Spar! If you look at the size of the Spar it is tiny!

The largest prey item I have seen a female spar take in the wild is a feral pigeon in the town. You can discount the male spar or musket due to his diminutive size as he usually hunts song birds!

It is not possible for these little raptors to overcome larger prey on their own unless assisted by an Austringer!

Next on the list is the Tawny Owl! Tawny's can be aggressive and Yes these will take poults and can be a real nuisance at a pen when the poults are small but he will only take them up to a certain size.

Then it's the turn of The Buzzard, again these birds will only take poults up to a certain size. This is because despite their large appearance they have have relatively small feet in comparison to their size. They can and do take Rabbits but again these are usually small in size.

The only bird that rightly deserves the top spot is the Goshawk, supreme woodland specialist that does not need any help from man with what it does best, and that is catch and kill fur and feather in any terrain. As for as deterrents! Use old feed bags tied to the wire of the pen with baler twine and provide plenty of cover for the poults. Please look at things logically!

Anything with the word "Hawk" in it seems to strike fear in shooting folk. The birds hunt to survive and react to a concentration of prey items! This simplist way to combat the problem would be to put down an excess of birds but this is obviously not practical!

 

I hope this helps?

so why is a gamekeeper of 40 years experience saying a tawny owl? Would a goshawk just take the heads off??

 

?????? I have not said that the keeper is wrong or what I suspect is taking these poults! I have only outlined what birds will/will not take them and have stated reasons! The gos would more than likley take the poult away rather than eat it on the spot if it were feeding young. If the birds are being eaten on the spot then that would point to an individual bird of an as yet unidentified species targeting the pen. No! A gos would not just remove the head. If the heads are being removed then it could be fox cubs??? Just for the record I have beat, picked-up and help out with keepering duties for a number of years! Why the seemingly aggressive attitude?

No agression meant friend your info is usefull and welcome! I dont think its foxs we have snared 2 in the last week and the electric fence is kicking out some voltage i know because i was the guinea pig!!! Im just stumped why something would kill a poult rip the head off and go!! Whats a musket?

Thanks! A musket is a male Sparrowhawk. It could be a mink! But I would have thought that there would be more carnage than there is? Have you got tunnel traps/mink cage around the perimeter of the pen? The killing and head removal are a response to prey density in close proximity. When one poult is killed the comotion triggers the second and this in turn triggers the third and so. It has been observed in both foxes and mink! It is a natural reaction. In the case of foxes if left undisturbed a fox will systematically remove and bury or cache what it has killed for use in times of food shortage.

[OldNog 432]

I am a falconer and I also shoot and have done so for nearly 35 yrs.

Lets start with the Spar! If you look at the size of the Spar it is tiny!

The largest prey item I have seen a female spar take in the wild is a feral pigeon in the town. You can discount the male spar or musket due to his diminutive size as he usually hunts song birds!

It is not possible for these little raptors to overcome larger prey on their own unless assisted by an Austringer!

Next on the list is the Tawny Owl! Tawny's can be aggressive and Yes these will take poults and can be a real nuisance at a pen when the poults are small but he will only take them up to a certain size.

Then it's the turn of The Buzzard, again these birds will only take poults up to a certain size. This is because despite their large appearance they have have relatively small feet in comparison to their size. They can and do take Rabbits but again these are usually small in size.

The only bird that rightly deserves the top spot is the Goshawk, supreme woodland specialist that does not need any help from man with what it does best, and that is catch and kill fur and feather in any terrain. As for as deterrents! Use old feed bags tied to the wire of the pen with baler twine and provide plenty of cover for the poults. Please look at things logically!

Anything with the word "Hawk" in it seems to strike fear in shooting folk. The birds hunt to survive and react to a concentration of prey items! This simplist way to combat the problem would be to put down an excess of birds but this is obviously not practical!

 

I hope this helps?

 

rubbish

 

iv seen both musket and a female spar on poults in pens in used to look after.

How big were the poults?

Thats like saying a merlin is capable of taking a crow?? Weighing only a few ounces Muskets do not have the phyical strength or the equipment to over power large quarry! You may have seen them on dead poults, but live ones????

 

I saw with my own eyes on a few occasions a pair killing poults from between 8 - 9 weeks old. They were older because they were held back because of the shit weather we had down here 2 years ago

 

But it seems you know all so im probably talking shit it would seem

[alimac 882]

SPARROWS take poults up to about 13 weeks of age, keepers are more worried about the stress on the rest of the pen.. tawnys imo take very few indeed, the worst is when they spook a pen of newly arrived poults in the night. buzzards will take poults upto about 16 or 18 weeks old (almost fully grown) the worst by a million miles is a goshawk, they will kill the first then take to foot and kill 10 or 20 no problem, they are the ultimate ghostly killing machine, topped by none