• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Eagle on deer carcass (1 Viewer)

Yes; they go for the softer skin around the belly to get in. But very often they don't need to, if the deer was killed by e.g. wolves that have already eaten part, or if it was a road casualty, usually the vehicle will have torn the skin open somewhere.
 
griffon vulture have trouble breaking in carcass they need a LPV vulture to help or a strong predator. I DO Not get why they were made this way. Their beaks look powerful enough to break into a carcass yet they cant ? makes no sense they should have this ability.


ALSo condors are able to get into any carcass they wish. YET the giant griffons cant ? makes no sense.
 
Hi Candidpets,
During the summer months I work part time for LPO in France collecting sheep carcasses for a vulture feeding station. These are mostly fresh fully intact carcasses with no wounds or openings. Griffon vultures arrive first and go straight onto the carcass in number (usually at least 200 birds present battling it out!). They target the anus and the mouth initially but also the soft skin on the lower belly just above the pelvis as Nutcracker also point out (I've also seen ravens going in at this point on sheep in Ireland). 20 minutes later and there is not much more than bones and the skin turned inside out up around the neck. Only the work of Griffons! At this point Black (or Cinereous) Vultures come in and go for the tendons and skin, you'll often see them on the head tucking into the ears. And if you're really lucky when the Griffons are starting to leave you might get a Bearded or Egyptian vulture coming, if you do then you know it's been a good day!
Best wishes,
Rob
 
Last edited:
Bald Eagle

Should the neighborhood be concerned with bald eagles in the area, with their small animals or a open window to an new born? So far they haven't been attacked at least not the ankle biters, but the wild rabbits are often seen in the area could be good food supply. Hoping!
1477252612883.jpg
 
Don't think so. Those eagles are more into waterfowl, fish, and carrion. I guess they'd probably take a rabbit or a cat if it went out in the open and behaved really stupidly, but I don't think they'd go the extra mile and chase after it. Apart from habits, their long wingspan is not conducive to manoeuvering in wooded areas, let alone fly into open windows.
Golden Eagles, on the other hand, prey on rabbits and feral cats extensively, but they're unlikely to set up shop in or near settlements.
AFAIK the most likely raptors to take mid-sized prey such as rabbits in settlements are Red-tailed Hawks (or, in Europe only, Goshawks).

Regarding kids, predatory eagle attacks on humans are very rare, and are most likely to come from (African) Crowned Eagles (only present in the US at zoos or as falconers' pets), if at all.
 
Last edited:
hummingbird2 said:
Should the neighborhood be concerned with bald eagles in the area, with their small animals or a open window to an new born? So far they haven't been attacked at least not the ankle biters, but the wild rabbits are often seen in the area could be good food supply. Hoping!
View attachment 624670
Click to expand...

Didn't know the Daily Mail circulated in Seattle ......;)
 
Sangahyando said:
Don't think so. Those eagles are more into waterfowl, fish, and carrion. I guess they'd probably take a rabbit or a cat if it went out in the open and behaved really stupidly, but I don't think they'd go the extra mile and chase after it. Apart from habits, their long wingspan is not conducive to manoeuvering in wooded areas, let alone fly into open windows.
Golden Eagles, on the other hand, prey on rabbits and feral cats extensively, but they're unlikely to set up shop in or near settlements.
AFAIK the most likely raptors to take mid-sized prey such as rabbits in settlements are Red-tailed Hawks (or, in Europe only, Goshawks).

Regarding kids, predatory eagle attacks on humans are very rare, and are most likely to come from (African) Crowned Eagles (only present in the US at zoos or as falconers' pets), if at all.
Click to expand...

Well the reason I asked is because in Anacortes, they said an eagle was taking their pets around the area, but glad to hear this is a rare thing.
 
hummingbird2 said:
Well the reason I asked is because in Anacortes, they said an eagle was taking their pets around the area, but glad to hear this is a rare thing.
Click to expand...
I don't know where that is, maybe they have Golden Eagles nearby, or unusually aggressive Bald Eagles. Did they see the eagle taking the pets, though? Because if not, the far more likely culprit would be a coyote.
 
Anacortes is where people take the ferries to Canada. Yes it was years ago, a small place where everyone knows everyone pretty much. They talked with me about hearing neighbors seeing an Eagle take their pets. They didn't say what kind of eagle though. There wasn't any mention of a wild coyote in the area. I was just warned about it, as so many other people were during the time it was taking place, to watch out for your small animals. Sometimes over here have seen two circling eagles checking out the area, they have a nearby nest. Photographers came to take pictures, so they close the area off to protect the eagles or those who would possibly get attacked, don't know which. Guess these could be from that nest a few years back. I will probably keep warning those in the area to watch out for their pets. Just to be on the safe side. These large birds are predators.
 
The area closed off around the eagles is probably due to protect the Eagles. The Bald Eagles remain protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 7 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

H
Sparrowhawk under attack
Replies
1
Views
902
wilrichie09
W
A
Sea eagle chicks?
Replies
3
Views
702
delia todd
delia todd
A
Intelligence in birds of prey
Replies
4
Views
2K
adumbperson
A
laurencejackson
Summer bald eagles in Homer, AK....advice needed!
Replies
1
Views
658
01101001
01101001
W
Grassland Birds - Feb 2024 - Pune - India
Replies
3
Views
593
Grahame Walbridge
G

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top