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How to attract raptors? (1 Viewer)

I've always wanted to try this.

I suppose you could buy a package of meat from the local market, open it, leave it in the sun for a few days, and then toss it onto the backyard grass (if you see vultures or whatnot, this is a good time to toss the meat to them)

I haven't tried this yet, as my poor mother has no intention of seeing a huge bird of prey destroy the already poorly managed lawn...

I suppose someone out there is daring enough to try this?
 
joee1949 said:
Seeing the stunning photos of raptors here on this website, I wonder if there is a way to attract raptors to take photos.

I thought of collecting small road killed animals or buying frozen rats or mice and putting them in locations where I have seen raptors flying over, then hiding close by.

I would be grateful if people could give me - and others - some tips.

thanks
Joe

Personally, I would be very wary of divulging any tips as to how to encourage raptors for 2 main reasons:
1 - people other than birders may obtain useful tips (e.g. gamekeepers, farmers, hunters) - seems like a lot of gamies etc are avid users of bird forums....; and:
2 - what is the point of attracting raptors to get a good photo? With patience you can get good photos in the wild.

That's my thought's at least!
 
Most raptors generally feed on live prey: other birds, reptiles, small mammals, etc.

I'd think that tossing meat (read: carrion) out would attract vultures well before it'd attract raptors.
 
yeah, I know, But how else am I gonna get really good shots of a vulture eating? Most of the time, I see them soaring overhead, and it's hard to focus on the bird when he's constantly moving.
 
Hi Gthang,

If you want to attract vultures, fresh whole roadkill animals are better than lumps of meat - they might not recognise a lump of meat for what it is. Also - perhaps surprisingly - Turkey Vultures like their carrion fresh, not old & smelly ;)

Michael
 
Gthang, I realize my reply will be suspect, after my grossly incorrect reply to Karen about her finches . . . but if it's vultures you want to photograph, how about using roadkill . . . instead of buying meat?
 
seawatcher said:
Personally, I would be very wary of divulging any tips as to how to encourage raptors for 2 main reasons:
1 - people other than birders may obtain useful tips (e.g. gamekeepers, farmers, hunters) - seems like a lot of gamies etc are avid users of bird forums....
Hi Seawatcher,

Sad to say - I don't think there's anything anyone here could say about attracting raptors, that the keepers don't already know far better . . . they all already know every last bit there is to know about strychnine-laced bait, etc, etc, etc. After all, they've been doing it for decades :storm:

Michael
 
Gthang and Joe, I have gotten more than my share of raptor shots by just hunkering down for a couple of hours and waiting for them to come in. Birds/BOP are wary of movement around them. I may not get a lot of photos that day but I will usually get a couple of pics I am very pleased with. Sometimes I have blended into a spot so well with little movement that the darn birds walk right around me. Too close for a photo opportunity. :(
 
Well Joe, it sounds as though you have had an eventful raptor trip and your photos prove it. I think I will still just hunker down though. I'm sure the flies would love it if I started carrying raw meat around with me though ;)
 
I got to see a turkey vulture up close and personal about a couple of months ago. I was walking into my barn to start working horses, walked into the tack room and there was a turkey vulture walking around. He looked at me, I looked at him. (the more you get to know me the more this wouldn't surprise you). His wing was droopy, I asked him if he had a bum wing, he looked back again and lifted that wing. Was all too weird. I found a rehab lady that came and got him that day and took him to a place they would do surgery on him. I would really like to be licensed myself so I could have kept him here until he recovered. Some vets won't help you unless you have all the proper licenses. We have lots of raptures, red tailed hawks, vultures, prairie falcons. A prairie falcon flew into my big windows one morning years ago. I heard the weird thud and thought I should check it out. It was laying flat on it's back knocked out cold. I got to hold it for ever, carefully turned it over and held her as she came too. Took her a while to get her barrings, she really had those claws in my hands but I didn't care. One of my most memorable bird moments ever. She would look me right in the eye, then look around again. Finally was able to fly off.
 
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