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Will Buzzards/kites Kill Chickens?


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What I find odd, is that if they have a brood why are they not taking the carcass? Hawks do not regurgitate food to feed young so why are the carcasses left? Another odd thing is that there are very little pluckings around the carcass I would expect to see a lot more than there are around the kill?

 

Personally I would be looking else where.

 

TC

I agree. I'm no expert on these matters but when I've come across a bird carcase where a buzzard has been on it there has been a circle of feathers or other debris around the carcase.

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Everyone knows buzzards and kites only eat worms and roadkill, like badgers

Lets not kid each other on. Every bird of prey will catch and kill anything it thinks it can handle.

Birds of prey regardless how hungry they are ,are all restricted to what they can take by the size of their feet . Our buzzard in comparison to a Harris or redtail have small feet which when coupled

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Notches in the breast bone could indicate a Goshawk, I can't really see from the picture of the duck.

I have my doubts wether a Buzzard would be a threat to your geese but a Goshawk...

i chucked it in the hedge but I will c if it still there and get a better pic tomorrow
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Notches in the breast bone could indicate a Goshawk, I can't really see from the picture of the duck.

I have my doubts wether a Buzzard would be a threat to your geese but a Goshawk...

i chucked it in the hedge but I will c if it still there and get a better pic tomorrow

Don't sweat it too much. If there are deep notches in the breast bone of the kills it will likely be a Goshawk. Much more aggressive and efficient killer than a Buzzard. What county are you in?

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Birds of prey regardless how hungry they are ,are all restricted to what they can take by the size of their feet . Our buzzard in comparison to a Harris or redtail have small feet which when coupled to the lazy factor is why they are not widely used in falconry if at all .The red kite we now have has feet akin to a kestrel for its size therefore cannot take prey of any size and is resigned to carrion .I would be suspicious of reports of kites tackling anything tbh especially considering the amount of roadkill available .Drive between Swindon and Oxford first light and youll see what their fortae is .

Many young buzzards will tackle large prey but soon learn their limitations .

At last some one who has a bit of sense. :thumbs:

 

TC

 

Yip....kites are resigned to carrion. Only one talking sense here. Hold on here comes the bullshit train.....toot toot.

 

Hm. I actually saw a red kite drop on a pigeon in a lane today. It started pulling it about ,when a car came round the corner and the kite flew off carrying the corpse with one foot.

Not being a bird expert I'd always gone with the "little feet and scavenger" proselytists. I double checked a book and sure enough even the RSPB have no qualms about the red kites predatory ability.

That doesn't mean Trapperman's poultry haven't been picked-over by birds after being killed by something else.

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Birds of prey regardless how hungry they are ,are all restricted to what they can take by the size of their feet . Our buzzard in comparison to a Harris or redtail have small feet which when coupled to the lazy factor is why they are not widely used in falconry if at all .The red kite we now have has feet akin to a kestrel for its size therefore cannot take prey of any size and is resigned to carrion .I would be suspicious of reports of kites tackling anything tbh especially considering the amount of roadkill available .Drive between Swindon and Oxford first light and youll see what their fortae is .

Many young buzzards will tackle large prey but soon learn their limitations .

At last some one who has a bit of sense. :thumbs:

 

TC

 

Yip....kites are resigned to carrion. Only one talking sense here. Hold on here comes the bullshit train.....toot toot.

 

Hm. I actually saw a red kite drop on a pigeon in a lane today. It started pulling it about ,when a car came round the corner and the kite flew off carrying the corpse with one foot.

Not being a bird expert I'd always gone with the "little feet and scavenger" proselytists. I double checked a book and sure enough even the RSPB have no qualms about the red kites predatory ability.

That doesn't mean Trapperman's poultry haven't been picked-over by birds after being killed by something else.

 

Surely not Comanche :icon_eek: You must have been mistaken like I was. Kites only eat carrion as stated in earlier posts

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<a href="http://s876.photobucket.com/user/mickypip/media/mickspics242.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab325/mickypip/mickspics242.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo mickspics242.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s876.photobucket.com/user/mickypip/media/mickspics242.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab325/mickypip/mickspics242.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo mickspics242.jpg"/></a>

 

this was done by a buzzard

mickspics242.jpg

 

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