Is this a hawk or vulture, and is it a threat?

[ChickieNikki]

My chicks were penned for a couple of hours yesterday, and I had one eye on the sky the whole time. This is what circled, landed in the neighbor's lot, circled again, landed in another neighbor's yard, circled, and left...

It had about a 6-7 foot wingspan, and I have NEVER EVER seen ANYTHING come close to our yard in the sky, much less LAND.

Are my girlies in danger? I snapped a few shots and quickly shuttled them in when I saw it...geesh!

 

[gamebirdsonly]

Turkey Vulter. I have never had any problems with them

 

[MysticScorpio82]

If you look at the head of that bird, it is bald (No feathers of any kind on it). This is just a vulture, and a vulture is no threat. Luckly they only eat already dead things.

If it was a hawk or another bird of prey, then you would have to worry about your chickens unless they have a covered run.

 

[Karrie13]

It is just a turkey vulture. Probably just in search of some carion. Nothing to worry about!

 

[JewellFarm]

It's a vulture. They just look for dead stuff.

 

[Miltonchix]

Quote:
Unless they CAN'T find dead stuff. I have dozens of them around and they have never been a problem. Yet. But theres plenty of dead possum and armadillo on the roads.

 

[crackertrail]

I just don't think buzzards are a threat.

 

[Henrietta23]

We get turkey vultures all the time. I've never found them to be a threat.
Great picture of one BTW!

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I counted 30 here one day, and it was creepy! They weren't circling anything in particular just kind of hanging around. We usually have one or two, sometimes a group of 5, but NEVER 30! Can you imagine 30 of those huge birds just nonchalante floating around your house and property. They weren't harming or feeding on anything, just floating. *shrug*

We ALWAYS have one or two around, never had any problem with them. I even have 5 week old chooks running loose. I have heard on occasion they will feed on very young chicks, but that's just what I've heard, not experienced.

-Kim

 

[erinm]

I am glad when there is a buzzard around because i have seen the hawks take off when they come over our yard. They can be much larger than the hawks. They have never bothered our chickens. ErinM