Eagles and Hawks

Parsnip

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Has anyone ever had troubles with winged predators carrying off small livestock???

I really didn't think about the possibility until I saw a Bald Eagle yesterday.
I haven't seen one in a few years and my GOSH it was absolutely enormous.
Thought it was a Blue Heron at first, but no. It was a Bald Eagle.

I do have week old lambs that are under 10 lbs.
Just wondering the possibility of a bird swooping down and carrying off a lamb?
I'm keeping the new mommy and the lambs in the barn for right now, and only let them out when I get home, so I can keep an eye on them.
 

Azriel

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I think they could, but don't know if they would. Bald Eagles eat more dead stuff and hunt over rivers/lakes for fish. But this time of year they are hungry and natural food is hard to come by. I wouldn't take a chance with real little ones. If you have Golden Eagles in your area I would worry about them. They are more western plains hunters and will take lambs, kids and fawns. Most hawks will be too small to take lambs, but chickens are fair game.
 

elbesta

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We have a lot of bald eagles as I live by the river. When the river is froze over they look for other food. I have a small dog that almost wound up being dinner once but the big dog intervened. My wife saw an eagle carrying what looked like a raccoon or a beaver.
 

taylorm17

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I'm not sure if this would be okay, but If you see it again shoot some loud blanks although I don't know if that would work. And yes they CAN take a lamb away.
 

alsea1

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An eagle will take a lamb.
Who lambed? Do you still have Jillian?
My new buck is here. Come take a peak.
 

Baymule

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I was asking because I have a GP in our small back yard. She was a chicken killer "gift" that took 2 years to set right. Now she is an awesome chicken guard! I was outside one evening when a hawk swooped in, barely 10 feet off the ground. Paris leaped in the air, teeth clicking and raised cane at the fence where the hawk had landed in a neighboring tree. I don't know if she had ever done this before or if she was showing off for me.

I have a trio of runner ducks that I recently observed (I was in the house looking out the window) them looking skyward. Paris looked at the ducks, then looked up and went nuts. The chickens ran for the bushes at her alarm and I went outside to check on things. There was a flock of migratory birds nervously flying from tree to tree, being stalked by no less than 5 hawks. Paris ran around the yard barking and I put the chickens and ducks in the coop.

I have seen Paris on multiple occasions barking and leaping in the air at hawks and buzzards flying overhead. I didn't know if this was a learned behavior or if other LGD's did this as well. Or maybe I just have a super obsessive, possessive dog! LOL
 
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