Accip74 7,112 Posted June 20, 2015 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 Kites much much less likely. Although they are a big bird their talons are piss weak. Despite sarcasm from other members kites are most definitely carrion feeders. Never say never but like I say very very unlikely it was a kite. You clearly haven't seen kites taking pheasants out of the air. I have. You'd recommend them for use in falconry then? Obviously not, I was stating a fact. No self respecting austringer would be seen dead with a kite for hunting ... If they were plucking pheasants out of the air with any regularity, I doubt many would be too proud to give them a whirl.....;-) Quote Link to post
EDDIE B 3,166 Posted June 20, 2015 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 I really don't see what the big deal on here is all the time about the realisation that birds of PREY are inclined to PREY on other animals. Hardly unlocking the mystery's of the natural world is it? I've never personally heard this myth that buzzards are ONLY carrion & insects eaters only, its obvious that they will be opportunists, wether that's an easily taken pheasant or a worm or road kill, whatever comes easiest at the time.....hardly a revelation..... I've personally witnessed a 1lb 9 oz male Harris give chase on a roe deer, very unlikely to be regularly on the menu though, is it? Buzzards & Ive got no doubt red kites make fcuking piss poor falconry birds.........if they didn't, folk wouldn't of spent so much time & money importing all kinds of other birds for the hunting & killing of game for all these years..... No doubt they are being verminous in some parts of the country towards game & other species, but I won't be rushing out to get one to take game, because there fcuking shite! haha..... Yes shite at taking game in the air, but f***ing deadly at taking them on the ground! ? Bit unsporting like, for hunting purposes! Quote Link to post
Accip74 7,112 Posted June 20, 2015 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 I really don't see what the big deal on here is all the time about the realisation that birds of PREY are inclined to PREY on other animals. Hardly unlocking the mystery's of the natural world is it? I've never personally heard this myth that buzzards are ONLY carrion & insects eaters only, its obvious that they will be opportunists, wether that's an easily taken pheasant or a worm or road kill, whatever comes easiest at the time.....hardly a revelation..... I've personally witnessed a 1lb 9 oz male Harris give chase on a roe deer, very unlikely to be regularly on the menu though, is it? Buzzards & Ive got no doubt red kites make fcuking piss poor falconry birds.........if they didn't, folk wouldn't of spent so much time & money importing all kinds of other birds for the hunting & killing of game for all these years..... No doubt they are being verminous in some parts of the country towards game & other species, but I won't be rushing out to get one to take game, because there fcuking shite! haha..... Yes shite at taking game in the air, but f***ing deadly at taking them on the ground! Bit unsporting like, for hunting purposes! Deadly lol............you ever been out with Harris hawks mate? 90% of game is taken on the ground, now they are deadly! Quote Link to post
Nicepix 5,650 Posted June 20, 2015 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 Over in France common buzzards of which there are a hell of a lot compared to in Blighty are often referred to as 'chicken hawks'. They are known to take chickens and they keep coming back for more. But the description of carcases doesn't sound like an avian predator. Kites are also much more common locally. Now I've had the pee extracted from me for recounting this tale but it is a genuine observation, not a made up story. I used to rent a cottage on a farm estate that had sheep in parkland type enclosures of fifty to eighty hectares. I've seen kites harrying sheep at lambing times, but not been close enough to see why. Now, I'm not naive enough to think that a kite could kill a lamb and so it might have been trying to get at a stillborn carcase or even the afterbirth, but the kites made determined and prolonged attempts to drive sheep away from something. Also when fishing in summer I regularly see kites snatching small silver fish, probably roach off the surface. The fish are live when caught, not dead floaters. I've seen them wriggling in the talons. Quote Link to post
Accip74 7,112 Posted June 20, 2015 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 Yeh we have buzzards in the gardens round here, I don't think I'd go for uncovered chickens either....... Quote Link to post
BIGLURKS 874 Posted June 20, 2015 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 Foxes tend too take there food home not all the time you would of probably noticed if a bird of prey had killed one they genreally take a long time too clean down too the bones and plus the crows start showing up too finish it off but I would put money on it you've got a badger problem and the biggest problem they will go straight threw a electric fence seen them a few times eating lamb carcasses in the middle of fields at night 1 Quote Link to post
trapperman 474 Posted June 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 The last hen and goslings were killed inside the pen as I had shut them away after finding the first one killed, the pen is pegged down all round and 6' tall nothing had dug or ripped in No bodies today hopefully the string and CDs have worked Quote Link to post
terryd 8,411 Posted June 20, 2015 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 Sounds like you`ve covered most safety measures. Obviously a net over the top would be better than string, as it dont seem to keep cormorants off ponds... What about a scarecrow or one of them big bird scaring eagle owl deeks on a high pole? Failing that I think the only thing you can do is only let them out when your in the yard too. You could put a cheap trail cam up, be certain who the culprit is. yes maybe this one https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/sun-21-june/product-detail/ps/p/product-page-53/ Quote Link to post
bobcullen79 1,495 Posted June 20, 2015 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 Sounds like you`ve covered most safety measures. Obviously a net over the top would be better than string, as it dont seem to keep cormorants off ponds... What about a scarecrow or one of them big bird scaring eagle owl deeks on a high pole? Failing that I think the only thing you can do is only let them out when your in the yard too. You could put a cheap trail cam up, be certain who the culprit is. yes maybe this one https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/sun-21-june/product-detail/ps/p/product-page-53/ Any good? Thats a thread on its own, Best budget trail cam? Ebay do cheaper I`m sure, but if its cack... Quote Link to post
terryd 8,411 Posted June 20, 2015 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 I have never used one but it looks good on paper Quote Link to post
nod 285 Posted June 20, 2015 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 Have seen kites take partridge and weasels , Quote Link to post
tilimangro 1,013 Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 Seen kites killing rats at harvest Buzzards taking pheasants Used to fly a Harris that would fly after roe deer when they ran never attacked them though Quote Link to post
Lab 10,979 Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 Lets not kid each other on. Every bird of prey will catch and kill anything it thinks it can handle. 3 Quote Link to post
Accip74 7,112 Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 Lets not kid each other on. Every bird of prey will catch and kill anything it thinks it can handle. But who's trying to kid anyone? It's only on the THL I've seen all this 'nudge nudge wink wink' guess what? Birds of prey, prey on stuff......lol &? 1 Quote Link to post
EDDIE B 3,166 Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 Lets not kid each other on. Every bird of prey will catch and kill anything it thinks it can handle.But who's trying to kid anyone? It's only on the THL I've seen all this 'nudge nudge wink wink' guess what? Birds of prey, prey on stuff......lol &? I've seen it on birdwatching/Nature forums, where mentioning such things creates I big hulla- ballu! I mean it is what it is! Saying that, I'm not sure how many wild birds are taken, probably not a large number! Reared birds are easy pickings though! Quote Link to post
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