What predator doesn't leave a trace?

[MalloyFarms]

I have ducks, they are cages at night. My son did t close up the coop and this morning we were missing a single duck (peking), with no feathers, blood, or any remnants left behind. He definitely did not just decide to fly away. What would be doing this?

In the past we have had chickens/ducks taken but there have always been some signs of a struggle. This time nothing.

I live in an area where coyote may be, possum, raccoons? I have always thought these types of predators would leave a trail of destruction in their wake, possibly I am wrong??

Any ideas of what could have taken my duck with out leaving signs??

 

[SilverBirds]

Welcome to BYC! So sorry you lost one of your ducks.
My guess would be a fox or an owl. Both could have taken a duck leaving little to no trace.

 

[Penpal]

Fox leave a pile of feathers, but I once watched one pick up my hen and run off with it. She did not kill and run, just picked up the hen. I yelled at her and she dropped the hen, who was just fine. Raccoon and opossum eat then leave, so you always know what happened to your bird.

 

[MalloyFarms]

Welcome to BYC! So sorry you lost one of your ducks.
My guess would be a fox or an owl. Both could have taken a duck leaving little to no trace.

I never thought ab an owl, the duck was decent sized. I wouldn't think an owl could have carried him off but we do have an owl we can hear at night that's in the woods closest to the coop.

 

[MalloyFarms]

Fox leave a pile of feathers, but I once watched one pick up my hen and run off with it. She did not kill and run, just picked up the hen. I yelled at her and she dropped the hen, who was just fine. Raccoon and opossum eat then leave, so you always know what happened to your bird.

Exactly that's why I'm just confused ab what took it. Normally when one of our birds comes up missing, we can usually find the "crime scene" if you will. After we noticed this guy missing we searched and searched and couldn't find a single feather. Which is crazy to me... trying to see if we can figure out what's prowling around, so we need to beef up our coop. Really hoping we don't loose more before then.

 

[SilverBirds]

I never thought ab an owl, the duck was decent sized. I wouldn't think an owl could have carried him off but we do have an owl we can hear at night that's in the woods closest to the coop.

Owls are bigger than you may think and while poultry aren't usually their main prey, they will hunt them if the opportunity arises. Great Horned Owls are about the same size as a red-tailed hawk and can easily swoop a duck. Barred Owls are slightly smaller but still capable of taking down a duck, though I don't think they could fly off with one.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Coyotes are our usual suspect when a bird disappears other than babies. They tend to leave a trail of feathers, but generally will carry it off a fair bit before the trail starts

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I second coyote if they are in your area. Coyotes grab their prey by the neck and give a quick shake to break it so their prey doesn’t put up a fight while they are running off with it. Their method of killing leaves behind minimal to no feathers and no body.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Fox or coyote. I had a fox take off with 2 ducks months apart. I would have never known except that I saw it on camera.

 

[McChooky]

Exactly that's why I'm just confused ab what took it. Normally when one of our birds comes up missing, we can usually find the "crime scene" if you will. After we noticed this guy missing we searched and searched and couldn't find a single feather. Which is crazy to me... trying to see if we can figure out what's prowling around, so we need to beef up our coop. Really hoping we don't loose more before then.

It doesn't appear to be a cage issue since they weren't locked up last night .You will have to be diligent about locking them up because it will be back . Leaning towards a fox because an owl usually eats the head and leaves the rest or carry strips of meat back to their nest