Was it a hawk???

[FarmGirl21]

I lost a bird a while back to a large predator bird. I got a quick look at it when it dropped the hen & landed on our old tractor about 20ft from me. I probably should have posted this sooner but I remember it being ver dark, almost black with some long, line looking whitish feathers down its chest, I didnt get a chance to get a good look at the beak or face because it flew off when i jumped the fence to get the hen.

i looked up hawks but the colors didnt match the bird i saw. anyone else ever seen one of these?

the closest i could find was red tailed hawk, but the colors still aren't right. The property we own is almost half hillside, very steep, wooded, and thick in areas, it's inhabitants range from deer, elk, coyotes and many other small rodent-type critters, we have both bald eagles & hawks around here also, a lot of them, we've never had a problem with any birds of prey until the last couple years. we had a hawk (she thinks, i didnt see it) try & grab one of our dogs out of the middle of the field a long time ago but this chicken attack was the first bird loss we've had to predator birds. I still can't figure out what breed/species of hawk it was, it certainly was not an eagle though, i probably would have had a heart attack, lol.

We put up fake owl statues & haven't had a problem since but i'm still baffled as to what it was.

 

[bluebirdfarm]

eagles are scavengers , prob a red tail, could have been immature and would have dif coloration from adult.
i'm on the east coast, do you have osprey ?

 

[Farmer Brown]

This is a long shot but google Steller Sea eagle. One page did say they have reached the coast of Alaska. Not very likely I guess but you never know.

 

[Pumpkinpup]

There are many birds of prey that will take a chicken. Hawks, Kites, Osprey, Eagles, falcons, etc.... It could have been one of many kinds. Kites are gerally small so I doubt that would have been your bird but any of the others are in the running. I hope you identify it. Good Luck!

 

[Attack Chicken]

Did this happen in the morning,day or right before dark?

 

[spiderman]

sharp-shinned hawk?
maybe a falcon?
big, small?
Deff not an eagle, there very big

 

[aiwetir]

it takes 5 years for a bald eagle to reach adult plumage, it could have been a juvie.

there are ton's of red-tails on the westside in the winters and it was more than likely that. they come in a pretty good variety of color morphs too. eagles will take live prey, osprey have migrated south already. if your area is open, it could have been a peregrine falcon, but i suspect a 'grinner' would just fly thru and you would never know it was there but for a missing chicken.

oh and of course there is the cooper's hawk too it would sneak in and out like a peregrine, we have one in the neighborhood, but i haven't seen her this year yet.

 

[Clay In Iowa]

Quote:
Just to clarify, BBF you apparently don't live in Bald Eagle country. We've watched a Bald eagle catch and eat a rabbit 100 yards from our back door. And I've witnessed them grabbing Pheasants more than once. Opportunists yes, strictly scavengers, no.

 

[bluebirdfarm]

clay in iowa
oh thnx for that info , we live in west virginia where they migrate through and a small population lives here ,mostly we have red tail and a few other hawks.

 

[swampwander]

Eagles will take chickens. I've seen them take ducks, coots, ibis and fairly large herons. You may have seen a juevie eagle or rad-tailed. Their coloration is different from an adults. i suggest you look on this site:

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/