Bald Eagle

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FarmerMac

FarmerMac

Chirping
5 Years
Dec 28, 2014
423
39
91
Virginia
Yesterday while I was feeding my flock, a bald eagle came down and tried to take one of our hens. The roosters were signaling the danger so most of the flock ran to the coop and other hid under the deck. I ran toward where the eagle was and she flew away. This morning she was back looking for breakfast.

700
 
Last edited:
enola said:
Time to pen your chickens up unless you don't mind her picking them off one at a time.
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Neat visitor, but not so neat for your birds. I agree with Enola. Hopefully she will move on; however, if she is successful she may become a permanent visitor.
 
I will bet money that eagle so far down into tree canopy is looking for nesting materials. Here hawks and eagles are refurbishing nests. Bald Eagles do have not where I seen them hunted under the tree canopy. Water surface mostly with occasional forays over pasture / prairie areas are the rule here.
 
centrarchid said:
I will bet money that eagle so far down into tree canopy is looking for nesting materials. Here hawks and eagles are refurbishing nests. Bald Eagles do have not where I seen them hunted under the tree canopy. Water surface mostly with occasional forays over pasture / prairie areas are the rule here.
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I saw a group of five of them flying high above our house earlier in the day, my guess scouting for food. In our area they usually nest near the Potomac or the Rappahannock. I have seen other eagles perched on the top braches looking at my flock. Last year I lost quite a few chickens to predators, sometimes I would find a stack of feathers and other times nothing, I would just notice that one would be missing. I stopped letting them out before I went to work now I only let them free range when I am home.
 
Most I see actively hunting do so from a perch that is usually over water. All our private fish farms have Bald Eagles working them on a very regular basis and they work my research ponds as well. Birds flying in a group likely taking advantage of a thermal forming in you location. I have seen them hunt more terrestrial areas like mine although those areas a decidely more open. Most terrestrial area hunting is more to scavenge. The work roadways during winter although that is stopping as vultures move back in and give them real competition.

I am very near the Missouri River were several rivers join it and where all those rivers are at least similar to your rivers. Nests are not hard to find and pair will fly a little piece to get twigs and branches for nesting. I have two pairs of Red-shouldered Hawks squabbling over my pasture and at least one pair gets sticks from some of my oak trees.
 

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