I can understand how a predator can get a bunch of chickens in a cage, but in the wild, after it got one, I think the others would fly away. So a predator getting them all seems unlikely to me. Am I missing something? Gary's suggestion here makes sense.
Sandy At 02:29 PM 5/31/2020, Gary Kohlenberg wrote: >I hadnât thought of Mustelid or Possum as Wes suggested as a culprit. > >As only one bird lost his head that could be >predation after death. One other bird dead with >head attached and another dying with possible >neck issues makes the suggestion of botulism by >Kevin Cummings and Morgan Hapeman interesting. I >know Montezuma has had problems with this in the >past. The water in Shindagin is pretty stagnant >which could be a problem. It also better answers >the unlikely idea of multiple birds shot in such a manner. > >Gary > >On May 31, 2020, at 11:53 AM, Christopher T. >Tessaglia-Hymes <c...@cornell.edu> wrote: > > Just throwing this out there as another possibility: weasel or ferret. > >This is, as I understand it, classic kill method >used by these Mustelids. Theyâve been know to >kill off an entire flock of chickens in a night, >severing heads with minimal disruption to the rest of the body. > >Thoughts? > >Sincerely, >Chris T-H > >Sent from my iPhone > > > >On May 31, 2020, at 11:07, Sandy Podulka ><<mailto:s...@cornell.edu>s...@cornell.edu> wrote: > >>That is also one of my favorite places! >> >>I have seen 4 male Mallards in that small pond >>consistently this spring (but not today, and I guess I now know why). >>I have no idea what could kill so many birds in >>such an odd way except a hunter, or maybe a >>group of hunters--I would think an owl wouldn't >>have a chance at all of them at once, as the others would fly off. >> >>So sorry to hear this. As we are learning in so >>many ways these days, people can be truly cruel. >> >>Sandy Podulka >> >>At 10:08 AM 5/31/2020, Gary Kohlenberg wrote: >>>Saturday I walked with my daughter down >>>Shindagin Hollow Rd., in the State Forest, to >>>the intersection with Gulf Creek Rd. for >>>exercise, fun and to show her the area. It was >>>very birdy and beautiful as usual especially >>>the beaver pond at the bottom of the hill. >>>This place always reminds me of the Adirondacks and is a favorite of mine. >>> >>>There was a surprising amount of traffic on >>>Shindagin Rd. both cars and mountain bikers >>>savoring the nice day. Some out of state >>>plates on cars of dozens parked at the >>>intersection and FLT crossing. I was reminded >>>how popular this area is and how much we need wild areas during a pandemic. >>> >>>We were amazed at how many Red Newts were >>>crossing the road. Some didnât make it it >>>unharmed, but most of them did. I learned >>>about their life cycle, that they are toxic, >>>but contain off the charts cuteness. We tried >>>to help a couple on the journey, but they are >>>very independent minded and donât need ed any intervention. >>> >>>We noticed a dead bird in the pond by the >>>outflow pipe under the road; a dead male >>>Mallard. Kayla thought it quite interesting >>>and checked to find it had no head. I thought >>>that was weird, but I have seen it before, and >>>guessed maybe an owl had decapitated it. >>>Iâm not actually positive owls would or >>>coucould do this, but seem to remember some >>>discussion about this. If anyone knows if it >>>can be a thing please enlighten me. >>> >>>I scanned the pond and saw movement which was >>>another male Mallard struggling in the water. >>>His body floated with the head hanging >>>underwater unable to lift it up. He may have >>>had a broken neck. I wasnââ¬t able to reach >>>the poor guy to end his misery whichh made me >>>sad. More scanning found a third male Mallard >>>floating in the pond dead. I didnât see any >>>more, e, but there could have been one in the >>>grass. Three seems like a typical total for >>>this small water to hold on any particular day. >>> >>>My hypothesis is that they were all shot on >>>the water with a shotgun. To cleanly >>>decapitate a bird the shot would have to be at >>>very close range. The other birds could have >>>all been hit with the same shot if they had >>>been swimming very together. This water is >>>very small and birds not hit would have flown >>>and probably circled around. Itâs not >>>likely they would ld have been shot in the air >>>and fallen back into this small area. >>> >>>This poaching event is very disturbing and we >>>had another event like this in the same >>>general area. Iâm thinking of the eagle >>>shooting over er bait. No hunter would shoot >>>birds in a barrel or sitting on the water even >>>in season. In my opinion this is just criminal at any time. >>> >>>We all have bigger social troubles overall, >>>but felt compelled to document this as a >>>complete view of birding in the finger lakes. The little things still go on. >>> >>>Happier birding today, >>> >>>Gary >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>-- >>> >>>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>Welcome and Basics >><http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES>Rules and Information >><http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm>Subscribe, >> >>Configuration and Leave >>Archives: >><http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html>The >>Mail Archive >><http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds>Surfbirds >><http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html>BirdingOnThe.Net >>Please submit your observations to <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>eBird! >>-- >-- >Cayugabirds-L List Info: ><http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME>Welcome and Basics ><http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES>Rules and Information ><http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm>Subscribe, > >Configuration and Leave >Archives: ><http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html>The >Mail Archive ><http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds>Surfbirds ><http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html>BirdingOnThe.Net >Please submit your observations to <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>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/ --
