(graphic photo) what's killing my ducks?

Trampledbygeese

Songster
9 Years
Sep 26, 2010
104
4
101
Please help me find out what's killing my Muscovy Ducks.

It's not a raccoon - they normally tear off a leg or wing and only eat a small amount.

Whatever is doing this, is eating almost the entire duck. All that's left is a few feathers, some of the larger bones, two wings (attached together) and two legs (attached together).

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A Muscovy duck is large, so I cannot imagine a mink eating the entire thing in one night. I also imagine there would be more signs of a struggle. Same with a feral cat. Could it be an owl?

I caught a small feral cat in the trap overnight. It's about half the size of a dressed duck, so I cannot imagine it eating an entire duck.

They live in a fenced yard with a pond.

The ducks do not go inside at night - despite my constant attempts to train them. Catching them to take put them in their duck house is an all day task that usually ends with a visit to the clinic to stich up my hand or leg. They have talons, not claws.

So, thoughs on what's eating them? Please help.
 
I should say that it's hunting early in the night, and I doubt it's a large predator like a dog or a cougar because I cannot see how it would get into the yard.
 
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It does, doesn't it. We don't have those on this island.

Cougar, black bear, mink, raccoon, cats, dogs, ... that's about all the large predators we have.
 
I think you might be dealing with dual predators. Perhaps a raccoon or owl is doing the killing and then a possum or cat is coming by and cleaning up the bones? I also trapped a cat that had the carcass of one of my chickens that it had been working on for a few nights. He had it hidden under an overturned wheelbarrow and the bird still had it's apron on! Legs and wings attached like yours. Maybe a trap to see what you could get? Terri O
 
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No foxes - we do have wolves, but it's been decades since they came to this part of the island.
 
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Well, I did catch a tiny cat last night. Maybe that has solved it? Can a cat eat almost twice it's size in a night?
 
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Possible, but there is no where for a large dog to get into the yard. We are very careful about that.

still... I'll double check the fence today.
 

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