Hi BYCers,
Found this pile of feathers on my property.
no bones or body parts of the bird that lost them. no red or white feathers near by.
By the markings, black feathers with white dots and some research, I think that the bird was a woodpecker. There are some varieties here in East TX Piney Woods.
https://www.discoverwildlife.com/how-to/identify-wildlife/how-to-identify-common-feathers/
Feathers looked more like this than any others I could match, but I don't think this area is in the range of Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Occasionally I see woodpeckers, and I guess they are not of concern for extinction but they are a bit rare. I'm sad that Mr. or Mrs. Woodpecker met their demise.
My worry is if the predator that got the woodpecker would look around for my chickens, and I've curtailed their free-ranging.
Someway I thought maybe an aerial predator, but I have also seen a bob-cat around.
can't believe I got that shot...from indoors through a window screen, in daylight. How often do you actually SEE the bobcat? Bobcat right? Not a juvenile cougar/puma? Didn't notice big ear tufts.
Does anyone have any thoughts of what predator did the kill?
Hawks are pretty plentiful around here. The land is mixed pine and hardwoods with acres of pine forest adjacent. Eagles are occasionally seen in this area, the local school team is called the Eagles. Owls are very occasional.
Thanks if anyone has ideas.
Found this pile of feathers on my property.
no bones or body parts of the bird that lost them. no red or white feathers near by.
By the markings, black feathers with white dots and some research, I think that the bird was a woodpecker. There are some varieties here in East TX Piney Woods.
https://www.discoverwildlife.com/how-to/identify-wildlife/how-to-identify-common-feathers/
Feathers looked more like this than any others I could match, but I don't think this area is in the range of Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Occasionally I see woodpeckers, and I guess they are not of concern for extinction but they are a bit rare. I'm sad that Mr. or Mrs. Woodpecker met their demise.
My worry is if the predator that got the woodpecker would look around for my chickens, and I've curtailed their free-ranging.
Someway I thought maybe an aerial predator, but I have also seen a bob-cat around.
can't believe I got that shot...from indoors through a window screen, in daylight. How often do you actually SEE the bobcat? Bobcat right? Not a juvenile cougar/puma? Didn't notice big ear tufts.
Does anyone have any thoughts of what predator did the kill?
Hawks are pretty plentiful around here. The land is mixed pine and hardwoods with acres of pine forest adjacent. Eagles are occasionally seen in this area, the local school team is called the Eagles. Owls are very occasional.
Thanks if anyone has ideas.