do hawks eat turkeys

I was told that a black turkey will keeps hawks away. The hens look like a bussard so the hawks don't come near.

I know that a red-tailed hawk came right down in front of me to try and take a one of my 4 month old cuckoo marans hens. I was 10 feet away. He couldn't lift her but I would guess he weighed more than 3 lbs. looked more like 5 to me, but I'm no expert. He was going to sit right there and kill her, lucky I was right there to scare him off.

I'm getting a few black turkey hens to see if it works.
 
Get some toms, I got a midget white and a Royal Palm, and the two resident Red Tails have not visited us again! They live right near my apartment and watch our backyard like..er..um..well you know, from their perch high on St. Josephs Church Church across the street. They used to be quite fond of taking our pullets, but we haven't had an incidence since the toms grew up. They won't stand down to dogs either! I had a hen as a hawk guard, but she wasn't nearly as effective as the toms.
 
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I will grant you that the head of the eagle is a bit light in the vid, but judging by the wing and tail patterns, it is most assuredly a golden eagle, possibly a juvenile. You have to admit, that tom has some killer dodging skills!

Yes, i like how the turkey jumped out of the attack.
It is the white head that makes me think it was not a golden but as you mentioned the tail fan looks to be golden.
I was thinking it was a juvenile bald because of its size.
Here in BC, much more north, the golden's get huge.
Twice the size of a bald when they sit side beside on a river bank eating salmon.
Its definitely a juvenile.
 
hawks will only grab things small enough to for them to fly off with. Turkeys will probably not be a problem. Chickens will.
 
Quote:Originally Posted by jeeter3217 I beg to differ. If a hawk can't carry it off it will eat on site while undisturbed. Lost a 12 lb pekin duck to a hawk last year. I'm positive it was a hawk, I did the exam myself with photos for multiple second opinions since I had just rescued a dog. He needed to be proven innocent for him to stay. While I don't know about turkeys becoming a hawk meal since they move much better than ducks, it is possible.
 
I beg to differ. If a hawk can't carry it off it will eat on site while undisturbed. Lost a 12 lb pekin duck to a hawk last year. I'm positive it was a hawk, I did the exam myself with photos for multiple second opinions since I had just rescued a dog. He needed to be proven innocent for him to stay. While I don't know about turkeys becoming a hawk meal since they move much better than ducks, it is possible.

true.
I once got a free meal from a hawk after it killed a partridge.
It was to big to fly away with it and dropped it so I cut out the breasts and we shared a meal.
 
A Hawk will most certainly kill a turkey poult and do some damage to a full grown turkey. They do not carry them off but eat on site. I just had a hawk go after my turkeys today.This is a big hawk its not a little red tail. It went at it with my six turkeys busted two of them up and killed one. The black turkey theory is out the window . The hawk took out a Spanish black and beat up on my BBW.. Come night time I have foxes during the day Hawks. I had what I believe to be a fox eat 4 7/8 of my Peking ducks two weeks ago. There was only a bloody wing left come first light.

Are hawks protected species ?
 

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