Are Bald Eagles a threat to full grown Bourbon Reds?

[Barred Rock Man]

I live in northwest Washington State, and have Bald Eagles passing over at least twice a day. I have a 5-acre sheep pasture that I would love to put them in, if the eagles aren't a threat. The pasture is open and flat, with no place to hide. My Bourbon Red tom and hen are a year old, and are roughly 20lbs and 10-15lbs. I'm thinking that they might be a bit big for an eagle, but I've seen them take big barn cats.
If anyone has any insight or information, please let me know. Thanks.

 

[Arielle]

DH used to work on an eagle project long ago. I asked him your question. He said: Not likely, but could.

Perhaps someone will have more personal experience to add.

 

[jahphotogal]

Bald Eagles are generally scavengers, eating carrion. They'll also catch fish. But I think it would be pretty unlikely that they'd take a chicken. Other large hawks, on the other hand, might be more of an issue.

 

[seabreeze]

Bald eagles will eat carrion but their preferred meat is fresh kill because they are equipped for that with a much sharper, stronger beak. Your carrion eaters have very weak bills designed for rotting flesh as its easier to tear than fresh.

We have turkeys and our full grown ones are never threatened by the 2 Bald Eagles nor the bigger Golden Eagles but they sure did a number on our half grown poults and chickens at our small barn.

at the big barn, the dogs deter sky predators big time!

 

[Oregon Blues]

As they say, your mileage may vary.

I get 3-4 bald eagles passing overhead every day. They don't even turn their heads to look at the ducks and geese.

The local eagles are well fed with fish, so when they are cruising, they are not in hunting mode. They are easily capable of killing a goose, so a turkey should not be out of their size range.

They are too big, with wings too long, to be comfortable swooping down for live prey on hard ground. Not that they can't do it, but they prefer prey out of the air or taken off of water.

So the answer is: yes they can kill your turkeys if they decide they want to do so. Whether they will or not, depends upon how plentiful food is in your area and whether they can fill up on food that suits them better.

 

[Arielle]

As they say, your mileage may vary.

I get 3-4 bald eagles passing overhead every day. They don't even turn their heads to look at the ducks and geese.

The local eagles are well fed with fish, so when they are cruising, they are not in hunting mode. They are easily capable of killing a goose, so a turkey should not be out of their size range.

They are too big, with wings too long, to be comfortable swooping down for live prey on hard ground. Not that they can't do it, but they prefer prey out of the air or taken off of water.

So the answer is: yes they can kill your turkeys if they decide they want to do so. Whether they will or not, depends upon how plentiful food is in your area and whether they can fill up on food that suits them better.

x2

 

[Imp]

I have lots of cover in my yard, the eagles have never messed with my chickens here in Renton.

But there have been a couple members on Whidbey report that the Eagles were killing there full grown ducks, and one recently posted that an eagle went after her large dog. As a kid in Alaska eagles were known for going after small dogs and carrying them off.

Imp