2 turkey vultures

[BobLoblaw]

We have two turkey vultures hanging out in our hay loft which sits just above our coop. They kind of hang out even when we are out in yard. I'm wondering if they will take chickens out of the yard? My GSD hangs out most of the time, but I'm afraid they may swoop in and carry one off, they are huge, wingspan like 3-4 feet.

 

[preppy*hippie*chick]

I don't know. I don't think so. They like to roost over in the woods across the road and I had my 5-6 week old chicks in the yard for the first time. I was sitting in the grass watching them when I heard a slow whoosh whoosh and a big shadow became apparent. My first thought was hawk!!! OMG hawk & I can't get to them in time!!! But it was a buzzard who landed in one of my trees and watched us. Creepy.

I don't think a buzzaed is really coordinated enough for live prey. They're pretty clumsy and they don't stoop (the dive that hawks and eagles do). I think we're safe, but they still give me the creeps!

 

[cw]

have you tried to scare them off

 

[farmerlor]

Don't think vultures have the equipment to kill things so they have to eat carrion. Now if one of your chickens dies.....all bets are off.

 

[preppy*hippie*chick]

I did just find this, though.

I am an eye witness to
a case of turkey vultures not only attacking and killing a cottontail
rabbit, but doing so in what appeared to be a cooperative manner. Six or
seven buzzards circled a rabbit they had found in a freshly cut hay field,
forcing it back to the middle with every escape attempt. When angles forced
an individual bird to break off the chase another would pick up the
pursuit. This went on for several minutes until the poor rabbit tired, and
just stopped running. I don't know how well fed these birds were from one
rabbit, but they converged on the "kill" very quickly. This was not a case
of misidentification, or a flashback from the late 60's. This group of
buzzards killed a quick and agile prey species by manipulation and
perseverance. While I have no video tape to prove this event actually
happened, there was no such thing in '71, there were two other people that
watched this with me. So, I wouldn't be so sure a primary scavanger NEVER
kills.

 

[BobLoblaw]

Wow! thanks, sounds like I shouldn't worry about it too much, but that last observation was entertaining if nothing else. I've seen hawks around here feasting on smaller birds, but haven't seen any coordinated vulture attacks. I did see two pilliated woodepckers and a barrd owl within the last two weeks.

 

[preppy*hippie*chick]

Oh, I'm jealous. I haven't seen a Pileated Woodpecker in YEARS. I am fond of the Redbellied Woodpeckers - they're big too. Last year I saw a Rose Breasted Grosbeak for the first time and my dad has Kingfishers on his pond.

 

[preppy*hippie*chick]

Found this too. Perhaps more relevant.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article5525947.ece

 

[BobLoblaw]

Wow, that article is incredibly harsh! Poor bird, kinda of ironic, they wait around to see this rare bird only to have it swopped on by a buzzard.

Thanks for the link, it really does go to show that animals are just as unpredictable as humans.

Oh and excuse my massaacre of the word "pileated"

 

[Ang]

preppy*hippie*chick :

Found this too. Perhaps more relevant.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article5525947.ece

Just a note that in Europe they call hawks buzzards. Here in the U.S. we call vultures buzzards.

BobLoblaw, do those vultures have a nest in your barn? There is a barn near us where the vultures nest so I wonder if that is the case in your barn.​