ben0850 Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 Afternoon all... I have slowly noticed the need for me to control pigeon numbers on the farm dwindling since last Autumn...far from being upset I am happy to report at least two separate sets of Resident Buzzards and a couple of local hawks are making mincemeat of the woodies! I keep coming across pigeon carcasses where the breast has been stripped clean or de-headed...would this be the local birds of prey or something else?? On another note I'm finding when I'm out now I can waste hours with the binos watching the buzzards on the thermals..magical!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Duncan Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 Kind of Good news, Bad news then really Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 Doubt buzzards would catch a woodie must be something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proTOM1 Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 If the heads are gone its a sparrow hawk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 Afternoon all... I have slowly noticed the need for me to control pigeon numbers on the farm dwindling since last Autumn...far from being upset I am happy to report at least two separate sets of Resident Buzzards and a couple of local hawks are making mincemeat of the woodies! I keep coming across pigeon carcasses where the breast has been stripped clean or de-headed...would this be the local birds of prey or something else?? On another note I'm finding when I'm out now I can waste hours with the binos watching the buzzards on the thermals..magical!! if the breasts are out its a hawk or buzzard. If its only the head that is gone, then the cause of death is something else and rats have taken the head of afterwards. I have seen buzzards taking pigeons quite regularly. I had one try to fly of with a bouncer a couple of months back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 (edited) if the breasts are out its a hawk or buzzard. If its only the head that is gone, then the cause of death is something else and rats have taken the head of afterwards. I have seen buzzards taking pigeons quite regularly. I had one try to fly of with a bouncer a couple of months back. Can't see a buzzard taking a live pigeon, they just aren't quick enough. I know they can take young rabbits easily enough but that's a different matter, seen herons take young rabbits Edited February 5, 2011 by sitsinhedges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobby dazzler Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 buzzards will take young pigeons of the nest seen that happen a couple of times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 Loads of buzzards in my area and despite being in the woods every day I have yet to see one take a live pigeon. I often see pigeons on the stubbles with 3-5 buzzards hunting above them after voles. When the buzzards stoop after a vole the pigeons just move a few yards out of th way and resume feeding. I did have one pair of buzzards that specilised on hunting crows last spring and there were 24 crow and rook wings under the nest by the time the young fledged.But then last spring the rooks were easy targets in the drought as the youngsters had a hard time feeding. I often have buzzards walking about in the decoy pattern , but this does not put off incomming pigeons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 I'd say sparrow hawks are doing it, but I've had sparrow hawks and buzzards grabbing my decoys. When I was growing up you never saw buzzards in the South East now, I'm please to say, they are a common sight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 Buzzards have regulary swooped down and tried to make off with a pigeon, and crow decoy, when I've been out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 Food is probably a learned behaviour for buzzards and may therefore vary in different areas - I've seen a buzzard take pigeons on the ground here (Cheshire) I have also seen pigeons refuse to land in a clover field being hammered by large flocks, because a buzzard is sitting in a tree at the edge field. Pigeon numbers dont seem to be affected though. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben0850 Posted February 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 Cheers guys! I regularly find carcasses with the breasts stripped out, we have a fair few birds of prey in the area, the only reason I assumed the buzzards were involved was the proximity of the carcasses to the buzzards nest site. However it could be any number of feathered suspects I guess! The wind cover wood which used to be pigeon central is all but empty of woodies, not sure if their numbers have dropped or if they have just moved on due to the birds of prey? Either way it's better for drilling spring crops in a few weeks time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 Assuming there was always a good population of pigeons in your area , then I would be amazed if any feathered predator(s) could make noticeable inroads into them. The whole flock principle is partly for the pigeons protection and often I have seen a hawk dive on pigeons which then broke in every direction and the hawk was left empty handed. I have never heard of buzzards taking live pigeons, I think they are too fast and wary for buzzards. Something else could be affecting numbers and the buzzards are just living off the carcases. It might be worth checking to see if there is any reports of disease in the area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy911 Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 Sounds like Sparrowhawks - as others have said, the Buzzards are not usually fast enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spara Dritto Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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