Will hawks get ducks?

[SwedeinAZ]

I have been having my chickens and ducks picked off one by one during mid-day lately.
Mostly- we find the carcass in the yard but now 2 have disappeared completely.
Yesterday, my drake disappeared and my two female ducks were right by the pond. I was so surprised as the kids and the dog were outside too. I know we have coyotes but I started to wonder if this could be a hawk? (Or bob cat)? Do hawks kill mallard ducks & carry them away?
I always assumed the chicks & ducks would be safe during the daytime- especially with kids & a dog running around! Any ideas for me? (Oh, I‘m in Phoenix, Arizona and we don’t have raccoon or fox here.)

 

[FathertoFeathers]

Oh yeah. Hawks will definitely take ducks and chickens if they have a chance. I would keep your chickens and the ducks inside the coop for the next few days until the hawk realizes that this buffet he has found isn’t there anymore.

 

[SwedeinAZ]

Oh yeah. Hawks will definitely take ducks and chickens if they have a chance. I would keep your chickens and the ducks inside the coop for the next few days until the hawk realizes that this buffet he has found isn’t there anymore.

Thank you! I had no idea. I saw the hawks today

 

[sourland]

Hawks can and will kill ducks, and very possibly the kills that were left in your yard were by hawks. They generally eat in place as anything as large as a duck can not be carried away. Something else is killing and removing the ducks.

 

[SwedeinAZ]

Hawks can and will kill ducks, and very possibly the kills that were left in your yard were by hawks. They generally eat in place as anything as large as a duck can not be carried away. Something else is killing and removing the ducks.

That makes sense. I’m still not sure what could be picking off my ducks- but at least I know a hawk is a predator for my ducks. Thank you.

 

[BlueBaby]

Sorry that you have been loosing some of your chicken's and duck's! Are they the smaller breed's?

 

[theautumnalfox]

Yes, birds of prey eat birds. Someone posted a video of a juvenile hawk attempting to and almost succeeding with killing one of their ducks. I believe poultry netting above the ducks would keep them safe from aerial attacks.

 

[SwedeinAZ]

Sorry that you have been loosing some of your chicken's and duck's! Are they the smaller breed's?

I lost 2 Muscovy that were pretty big but the others have been medium sized Welsh Harlequins. At first I assumed coyotes but it doesn’t seem to fit.

 

[SwedeinAZ]

Yes, birds of prey eat birds. Someone posted a video of a juvenile hawk attempting to and almost succeeding with killing one of their ducks. I believe poultry netting above the ducks would keep them safe from aerial attacks.

Thanks- yes, I’ll have to add that. It’s not easy to keep these ducks & chickens safe!

 

[aart]

Hawks can and will kill ducks....They generally eat in place as anything as large as a duck can not be carried away. Something else is killing and removing the ducks.

Ditto Dat^^^

If body is not found, it's larger predator.
Fox, coyote, bobcat, cougar can all sneak up, grab dinner, then disappear pretty quickly and quietly.