On Wednesday we lost a hen to what I suspect was a coopers hawk. I wasn't home, but found the partially eaten hen in the chicken run when I got home after dark. The chicken run is fenced to keep the chickens in, but not covered to keep the predators out (I need to work on that). One might suspect an owl, but since the carcass was outside and the chickens all go inside as it is getting dark, I think the kill was made during the day. We have both coopers and sharpies using our bird feeders as bird feeders. We also have redtails in the area. I have never seen a redtail take or attempt to take one of our chickens, but our neighbors indicate they have lost chickens to redtails. This hen was too large to carry away by whatever killed it, and the bird must have made the kill late in the day, since only a small portion of it was eaten. The meat was cleaned away from the bones at the neck and part of the upper body. Several years ago I caught a coopers in the act of killing a hen, but I didn't see this one.
Best, Marty ====================================== Marty Schlabach m...@cornell.edu 8407 Powell Rd. home 607-532-3467 Interlaken, NY 14847 cell 315-521-4315 ====================================== -----Original Message----- From: bounce-111162702-3494...@list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-111162702-3494...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of John and Sue Gregoire Sent: Friday, December 20, 2013 8:10 AM To: Gian Dodici Cc: CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Action on Hunt Hill Wonderful experience! Leave the carcass there and the Gos may return to it. We have lost several hens to Goshawks over the years and I once almost hand caught a female as she was so intent her prey; amazingly the hen then ran to the coop and survived. from then on she was an "indoor chicken" by choice. Another time, a Gos killed a pheasant and couldn't fly it off so left the remains and returned each day for several days until what was left was also light enough to take with her. Yours looks to be a female. John -- John and Sue Gregoire Field Ornithologists Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett,NY 14818-9626 Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ "Conserve and Create Habitat" On Thu, December 19, 2013 21:29, Gian Dodici wrote: > I came home this afternoon and could see something struggling in the > poultry fence I have around my chicken coop. My first thought that a > chicken had gotten out and was trying to force its way back in but > quickly realized that it was a northern goshawk that was struggling in the > fence. > I went into the house to get my fireplace gloves and a blanket that I > planned to throw over it whilst I tried to extricate it from the fence. > Much to my surprise the bird flew off as I approached and landed on a > nearby branch. I went back to the house to grab the camera and got a > couple of distant shots before it flew off. > > As I approached the fence I could see that one of the roosters was > stuck in the fence. Apparently, the goshawk was trying to pull him > through. I pulled the rooster out of the fence and left him there > hoping that the goshawk would return. About 20 minutes later it did > and flew / hopped / dragged the rooster about 10 yards before it gave > up and started eating. I was able to quietly approach and take a few > more photos but unfortunately there was some brush between me and the > action. I left the goshawk feeding on the rooster. > > I checked on the carcass after dark and it looked like what I have > always assumed was typical of a raptor meal -- bird on its back with > the breast muscles removed. > > I think that the pictures should be available here: > https://plus.google.com/photos/108162973708281960515/albums/5959293456 > 900441777?banner=pwa > > > Gian > > -- > > Cayugabirds-L List Info: > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave > .htm > > ARCHIVES: > 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html > 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds > 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html > > Please submit your observations to eBird: > http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ > > -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
