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Post by Debbie on Jan 14, 2009 21:27:39 GMT -1
;D I always get a laugh from this.... buzzards in the US are vultures, so it always cracks me up to read about your 'buzzards' which we call 'hawks'. Neither here nor there, but I always get a laugh from it. Mike these are wonderful depictions, replete with pictures. Thank you!!! for taking the time and effort to post this for us   Hi Debbie Our "Buzzard" is not a hawk in the true sense, its a Buteo, which is from the same genus as your Red Tail Hawks (Which is not a hawk either!) - neither is your Harris Hawk a hawk!! Interestingly, your Coopers hawks are true hawks, as are the red shinned, Goshawks etc. It gets very confusing! Mike LOL...my head hurts! ;D Actually I do recognize the buteos, at least some of them. I'm just thrilled they've made a comeback. In our region when I was growing up, they were so very, very, very rare. The farmers used to kill them quite regularly to have free range chickens. Seemed silly to me. Why not keep your hens safe and penned and have the hawks around to keep down the rodents for your crops??  |
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Post by Manx Cat on Jan 17, 2009 19:40:00 GMT -1
WOW fabulous info on birds of prey, thanks for posting this, Ive found all the replies very interesting.
We have hen harriers on the island, introduced to help with the R>A>T problem that we have. They are beautiful Large and graceful, the male is mostly white with black wing tips his wifie is brown, with a white patch where her tail joins.
I lost several ducklings to birds of prey, Hen harriers we thing, but are not 100% sure.
When the deaths occurred, the young ducks (About 3 months of age, so big but unable to fly), were completely stripped to the skeleton over a few hours, amazing.... I was always disappointed to lose livestock, but at least a prey bird, only took one at a time. Whereas the dreaded polecat destroyed my entire flock of 36 young ducks and ate 2.
Give me prey birds anyday over four legged prey animals.... We are lucky at least not to have badger or fox to worry our livestock at least.
Mary
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2009 20:22:48 GMT -1
Hi
I would say your ducklings were killed by Rats, we lost several quail and partridge from a secure enclosure to rats, before I got my revenge! - Birds of prey (Especially the size of the harriers) would have carried them away and eaten them from a good vantage point, they would have also consumed mainly the head, neck and breast.
Mike
(Ps the male H Harrier is grey)
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Post by Rowndan on Jan 19, 2009 18:36:42 GMT -1
Mike, what did you do with the rats?? we have some that have moved into the hedge at the bottom of the garden, i have a trap, but no luck, they are to clever i think!! grrr
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