Bald Eagle Hunting Ducks?

[BrookBottomFarm]

Yesterday, as I walked outside, I was greeted as usual by the enthusiastic quacks of my 6 khaki campbell ducks as they hung out around the pond. When I called back to them, I was startled as a huge bald eagle took off from a tree at the edge of my yard! Having a duck house near the pond, I convinced the ducks to go inside early for the day with some treats, but now I'm paranoid to let them back out again! The usual routine is that I feed them and then shut them inside their house overnight to protect against the usual predators, and then in the morning, I let them outside for the day to hang out at the pond. I've never had an issue with predators in the daylight hours while I'm home, but this eagle has totally thrown me for a loop. Google says that yes, they will relentlessly hunt ducks, and now I'm worried. Does anyone have any advice for this? How do you deter a freaking eagle from hunting over your pond? (Small pond, only smaller minor fish/minnows in it, so I doubt he was after them.)

[Cross posted this in the Predators forum, too.]

 

[BrookBottomFarm]

Not the greatest of photos as the eagle was faster than my phone camera skills, but you can see the eagle with it’s wings spread as it flies away past the pond.

 

[featherhead007]

Maybe give the eagle something else to prey on. (I heard they like mice or rats)

 

[Kendalle]

I flap my arms and go into angry goose pose when I have eagles eyeing my birds. They move on if i'm out there. I try to make my presence in the yard known. Haven't lost one to an eagle yet, but am likely to eventually. I have quite a few big pekins, 2 geese, and a few smaller barnyard mix ducks, luckily eagles don't know they can't fly. Provide cover hides for them to run into when they see a bird of prey.

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

S.S.S.

 

[Beaglegal]

Yesterday, as I walked outside, I was greeted as usual by the enthusiastic quacks of my 6 khaki campbell ducks as they hung out around the pond. When I called back to them, I was startled as a huge bald eagle took off from a tree at the edge of my yard! Having a duck house near the pond, I convinced the ducks to go inside early for the day with some treats, but now I'm paranoid to let them back out again! The usual routine is that I feed them and then shut them inside their house overnight to protect against the usual predators, and then in the morning, I let them outside for the day to hang out at the pond. I've never had an issue with predators in the daylight hours while I'm home, but this eagle has totally thrown me for a loop. Google says that yes, they will relentlessly hunt ducks, and now I'm worried. Does anyone have any advice for this? How do you deter a freaking eagle from hunting over your pond? (Small pond, only smaller minor fish/minnows in it, so I doubt he was after them.)

[Cross posted this in the Predators forum, too.]

Yep I had a couple of bald eagle/duck encounters this year. One almost got my drake but I scared him off. Luckily it’s fall now so they eat spawning salmon instead. I still free range because the ducks prefer it but I did add eagle shelters so the more cover to dive under.

 

[KaleIAm]

I work at a house overlooking a lake. There is often a bald eagle perched on a tree staring at the water intently. Sometimes I see him/her catch fish. Occasionally juvenile bald eagles visit, and try to catch the wild ducks. The juvenile eagles dive bombs the ducks and the ducks dive under the water. It goes on for about 5 minutes before the eagle gives up. I'm sure sometimes eagles successfully catch ducks. I imagine providing overhead cover will help - because the only attack method I have seen is that dive bombing from above.

I have had a couple of bald eagles flying overhead come to investigate my flock while they were foraging on land. I always supervise my ducks, so I just yelled at the eagles and they flew away.

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

S.S.S.

Usually I would recommend this for something else, but shooting a bald eagle is VERY illegal and you can get fined HEAVILY for it.

OP, if the eagle ends up causing extensive damage to your birds, you could probably call your local DNR and ask for some help.

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

Usually I would recommend this for something else, but shooting a bald eagle is VERY illegal and you can get fined HEAVILY for it.

OP, if the eagle ends up causing extensive damage to your birds, you could probably call your local DNR and ask for some help.

Feeding bald eagles is illegal, so is possessing their feathers, I'm betting they loose a couple taking a duck.. so what happens when you get caught feeding bald eagles duck and having their feathers in your possession .... You pick your felony, ill pick mine.