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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jos Stratford" data-source="post: 1709867" data-attributes="member: 12449">I certainly would not deny Eagle Owls prey on birds, a pair on my local patch does so with regularity, favouring Coots and gulls in the breeding season (I presume taking them from a lake near 2km from the nesting area). I still would seriously question however the value of the posting the earlier data given without any reference to time and area, it appeared a somewhat 'tabloid' style of posting to support the view these things will cause carnage.Alongside the pair of Eagle Owls responsible for the Coots and gulls mentioned earlier, which have also taken a Grey Heron on at least one occasion, there also exists very healthy populations of other owls and raptors. Common Buzzard, Honey Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Hobby, Marsh Harrier, Lesser Spotted Eagle, White-tailed Eagle all breed annually in the immediate area, as do Long-eared Owls and Tengmalm's Owls, with Tawny Owl not far away (closer than the lake where I presume the gulls are taken). I have no evidence either way if any of these species have ever been predated (I have never found them at the plucking posts), but in the ten years since I have known of the Eagle Owls, they have not shown decline.</blockquote>