What would only eat the head off of a 2 year old tom?

[NicoLee1991]

This morning I found one of my turks outside my fence, headless. It didn't look like it had any other injuries to it. There was a small pile of feathers about 10 feet away. I found like 2 drops of blood on the grass right near the body.
One of my other turkies was somewhere weird too, so I had suspected something had spooked them. I just hadn't realized one was missing yet.
I mean these are not small birds, they are heritage breed turks. So what would only eat the head off of one? We have a lot of wild animals near by. We live in the mountains of Montana, but this is our first instance like this is 5 years.
We did have a guinea hens taken from a neighbors yard recently. There were just a few piles of feathers, no blood or anything left.

I can attach pictures if need be

 

[Molpet]

Usually raptors like the heads.
I have GH Owls that take the heads off smaller hens. Do you have eagles?

 

[NicoLee1991]

Usually raptors like the heads.
I have GH Owls that take the heads off smaller hens. Do you have eagles?

We do.. we have it all lol. Idk why I didn't think of eagle. We also have a resident gh owl, but he/ she has never bothered us before. I figured most of the predators were too small for this turkey. Especially just the head without a bloodbath.

 

[Molpet]

Especially just the head without a bloodbath.

The owl doesn't leave any blood either. I had one hen that had wounds on her neck but seemed ok. Until a rattle started when she breathed, lived for a couple days. So I'm thinking they grab them at the neck until dead and that's why next to no blood.

 

[NicoLee1991]

The owl doesn't leave any blood either. I had one hen that had wounds on her neck but seemed ok. Until a rattle started when she breathed, lived for a couple days. So I'm thinking they grab them at the neck until dead and that's why next to no blood.

Oh that would make a lot of sense and to me the wound doesn't look super tear-ish, like teeth, it looks like little snips.. If it's still there later I'll inspect again with all my new knowledge. Do you think the owls would be big enough to do that to a turkey? I feel like they are moderately close in size. It would be a tough fight for a place that has a lot of easier prey..

 

[Molpet]

Oh that would make a lot of sense and to me the wound doesn't look super tear-ish, like teeth, it looks like little snips.. If it's still there later I'll inspect again with all my new knowledge. Do you think the owls would be big enough to do that to a turkey? I feel like they are moderately close in size. It would be a tough fight for a place that has a lot of easier prey..

My owls hit just before first light, when I find a body it's just starting rigor. I am letting chickens out around 15 minutes before sunrise. Doesn't look like the turkey had a chance to fight.
I'm thinking golden eagles in your case.

 

[jmurno]

Weasels bight the heads off, drink the blood, and then will come back for the carcass later. They sometimes will bite the heads off of multiple birds and stack all carcasses in a pile!

 

[GarrettW]

Minks will do that.