Mistery predator. Asking for a friend

[Nlchicken]

A friend of mine has free range geese. This morning they found one of there females dead. Its head was missing. There is no other visible sign of damage and no tracks to identify the predator. They are wondering if it could have been a hawk or an owl? We have coyote/wolf hybrids, foxes, lynx, mink and wessels in our area. We are stumped trying to figure out what the predator is as the larger ones would have taken the body not just the head and the mink and wessels generally do more damage such as tearing up the neck and attacking more than one bird.
Any suggestions as to what may have done this?

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Could have been a bird of prey or a member of the weasel family.

 

[bruceha2000]

Coons do that to chickens, I guess a goose isn't too big for the same treatment. I think any of the other predators you listed would have made use of the meat, coons seem to kill for the fun, they surely aren't in it for the food if they leave the entire chicken's body.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Coons do that to chickens, I guess a goose isn't too big for the same treatment. I think any of the other predators you listed would have made use of the meat, coons seem to kill for the fun, they surely aren't in it for the food if they leave the entire chicken's body.

The weasel family kills for sport at times too.

 

[Nlchicken]

Thanks everyone. We don't have coons here so it probably was a weasel or a bird of prey. She has them in her barn now and we will be putting out some traps today to see if anything makes an appearance

 

[Jewelespc1010]

A friend of mine has free range geese. This morning they found one of there females dead. Its head was missing. There is no other visible sign of damage and no tracks to identify the predator. They are wondering if it could have been a hawk or an owl? We have coyote/wolf hybrids, foxes, lynx, mink and wessels in our area. We are stumped trying to figure out what the predator is as the larger ones would have taken the body not just the head and the mink and wessels generally do more damage such as tearing up the neck and attacking more than one bird.
Any suggestions as to what may have done this?

Hello, sounds like a raccoon. They do this and if there’s water close they will wash their finds. Look for water in your yard water dishes, buckets, puddles, pools etc. I would try for signs there. Sorry to hear about your goose I know it’s so hard to lose a pet. Good luck.

 

[bruceha2000]

Except he said they don't have raccoons up in Newfoundland.