What Bird of Prey is this?

[Sea Wolf]

I watch the video two or three times enlarged. Pretty sure by the size & wing span it's an American Bald Eagle.

You need to look at the position of the wings themselves. Eagles do NOT glide with their wings tilted up in a V position. It is a vulture and absolutely harmless.

 

[cgmccary]

With many of our crow-friends gone for the winter, my ducks are spotting airborne dangers more frequently now. On Saturday a large bird of prey was circling over us, caught it on video when it came lower and sat up shop in a tree:

Anybody an idea what kind of predator this is? - And is it a particular danger to my ducks?
Thank you very much in advance for your help.

TURKEY VULTURE and harmless to chickens.

 

[Sharonea1959]

Ouch! - I hope your brother is ok? So wearing protective clothing and gargles before approaching a turkey-vulture!

Yes, he is fine, it mainly got his ATV, was already starting dull the paint by the time he got back home to wash it off.

 

[Sharonea1959]

I just found this out a few days ago. I read it in a magazine though. It probably has bile from their gizzard which is the acid. If they're stomachs are anything like ours it is hydrocholoric acid. Is your brother ok? How close was he before it upchucked on him?

It was up in a tree, and he parked his ATV under it, and was just getting off of it when it let it fly! Vultures are new to us, been here only a few years, we live in Eastern Ontario, and they are only here in the warm months. We like them here, as the kept the carcasses of the roads, and any kill that the wolves don't quite finish. They generally have a feast in the spring when they return.

 

[Sharonea1959]

It flies like a vulture. I've never had one attack our chickens, but I have seen them go for the afterbirth when a calf is born. Needless to say, when there are newborn calves I watch the buzzards like a hawk!

I have suspected that they would go after small living creatures, but have never witnessed it. I am assuming they would only if they were hungry. They fly over my chickens, and look at them but keep going, but I also have a flock of guinea fowl with my chickens, which may be a deterrent.