Buzzard encounter

Murray007

I seen something really weird about 9pm last night.

We have a young collie that is highly bred, a bundle of instinct, and when the cattle are off at another farm she takes to following our 6 month old kitten around all day long. Who says its hard to herd cats, anyway, last night the doors were open becuase of the heat and I heard a meowing but it was obviously not the same sound as our kitten, much stronger and louder.

I went out into the garden to see a large buzzard perched on top off our garden swing seat and meowing loadly, the kitten was frozen in a walk like stance and the collie just behind the kitten, also frozen to the spot but growling at the buzzard.

When the buzzard seen me it took off. Do you think it saw the kitten as dinner?

BTW, we have had breeding buzzards on our land for at least ten years and although one year they nested in a tree close to the house, we have never seen one in the garden before.

We are usually guaranteed to see them if one of the family is out topping rushes. They swoop down to pick up frogs and mice that are disturbed by the topper.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I get them perched in the garden regularly. The meowing is just their call. I have never had any buzzard attempt to take dog, cat, or bird in the garden.

Tiercel Dave

Plus it was probably a young bird, just learning about life. Already had you down as the enemy though! :eek: Dave

Eddie B

My brother has a couple a hen's and he let's them wander around the garden in the evenings when he's home to keep an eye on them!

One evening, he was out tending to his vegetable garden, down on his hunkers, rootin out weeds e.t.c, when suddenly he heard the hens going ballistic, fluttering around, making a racket! He turned and stood up to see a buzzard pulling the brakes say, about four feet above the scattering hens!

He nearly s*it himself, his words, not mine!

Now i'm not saying the buzzard would def have taken one of the hens, if my brother wasn't there to intervene, but it looked that way!

Well buzzards do take game birds, and rabbits, so why not chickens, or even kittens!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I can see a buzzard taking a slow moving grounded hen but I have never seen one attempt to take a kitten and, to be honest, we don't need that kind of negative supposition about one of our few raptors.

Kess73

Never seen a buzzard/cat interaction before, but I have seen interactions between cats and sparrowhawks a number of times, and they all involved the sparrowhawk sounding off in the direction of the cat whilst perched above the cat.


My own take would be that it is one predator coming across another, and giving a bit of a "keep away from me" message.


Cats are also not stupid and tend to react very differently around a raptor than they would another bird species of similar size.

At six months of age, the kitten would actually be a young cat and as such would most likely be seen as a predator by a buzzard, and the cat in turn would see the buzzard as one.


The dog growling I would not be worried about, as have seen my own dog have very vocal disagreements with the local starlings, and the starlings giving it back to him.

snaps

Kess73 wrote: »

Never seen a buzzard/cat interaction before, but I have seen interactions between cats and sparrowhawks a number of times, and they all involved the sparrowhawk sounding off in the direction of the cat whilst perched above the cat.


My own take would be that it is one predator coming across another, and giving a bit of a "keep away from me" message.


Cats are also not stupid and tend to react very differently around a raptor than they would another bird species of similar size.

At six months of age, the kitten would actually be a young cat and as such would most likely be seen as a predator by a buzzard, and the cat in turn would see the buzzard as one.


The dog growling I would not be worried about, as have seen my own dog have very vocal disagreements with the local starlings, and the starlings giving it back to him.

We've lost 3 kittens to buzzards and also hens. Now these are full size buzzards in southern poland.

We accept it here as one of those things.

Even have foxes take chickens so have had to adapt the fencing.

Eddie B

UOTE=Srameen;91435608]I can see a buzzard taking a slow moving grounded hen but I have never seen one attempt to take a kitten and, to be honest, we don't need that kind of negative supposition about one of our few raptors.[/QUOTE]

I'm not trying to be negative here, just being realistic! Buzzards hunt by surprise, nothing to do with fast or slow moving pray!

Buzzards are opportunistic hunters, why not a small kitten!

It's like saying pine marten will only take gray squirrel, and not red! Nature doesn't work that way, not in the real world anyway!

dodderangler

Yes a buzzard will take kittens but they'd have to be small small.
I'm just back from hunting and had what looked like a breeding pair and a wobbly flying chick.
At one stage I was near chatting to them as they calle I whistled right back and they were above my heading and followed me throughout that field. But I had just gutted a rabbit and they also landed in the spot where I gutted it so they seem to know what I'm there for. Not the first time it's happened.
But anyway they will take a young kitten but A lot of they're kills are taken on the amount of impact they give in the attack so they'd hit it at speed. But just sitting looking at the kitten I'd say it was a very curious young bird just having a peep.
Besides with a dog there it wouldn't risk it.
Your kitten is more at risk from foxes than any other animal.

Kess73

Eddie B wrote: »

UOTE=Srameen;91435608]I can see a buzzard taking a slow moving grounded hen but I have never seen one attempt to take a kitten and, to be honest, we don't need that kind of negative supposition about one of our few raptors.

I'm not trying to be negative here, just being realistic! Buzzards hunt by surprise, nothing to do with fast or slow moving pray!

Buzzards are opportunistic hunters, why not a small kitten!

It's like saying pine marten will only take gray squirrel, and not red! Nature doesn't work that way, not in the real world anyway![/QUOTE]



A six month old cat is not a small kitten though.

Fair enough if you are talking about a tiny kitten that is only a few weeks old, but then again an adult cat or a pet dog would pose just as big a threat, more in fact as there is more chance of one of those coming across a very young kitten.

But if we are talking about buzzards here in Ireland, then you will be hard pushed to find any evidence of one attacking and killing a six month old cat.


Would be a bit like saying a White tailed sea eagle could kill a small dog, but the reality would be that such an event has very little chance of happening.

Birdnuts

A small kitten is in and around the size of a youngish rabbit. Possible prey for a buzzard but a pretty rare event by all accounts. Most likely to occur if young kittens are born to feral cats living wild in rural areas. Small kittens could possibly be vulnerable in these situation to any number of predators including mink, fox, grey crows etc. especially if sick/emaciated which is a common feature of inbred rural populations. Much work has already been done on buzzard diet in Ireland and by all accounts the vast majority of live prey is made up of what most people consider small vermin such as rodents, young crows etc.

http://duhallow.blogspot.ie/p/buzzards-in-duhallow.html

The above ties in with even more extensive studies in the UK

Eddie B

Kess73 wrote: »

I'm not trying to be negative here, just being realistic! Buzzards hunt by surprise, nothing to do with fast or slow moving pray!

Buzzards are opportunistic hunters, why not a small kitten!

It's like saying pine marten will only take gray squirrel, and not red! Nature doesn't work that way, not in the real world anyway!

A six month old cat is not a small kitten though.

Fair enough if you are talking about a tiny kitten that is only a few weeks old, but then again an adult cat or a pet dog would pose just as big a threat, more in fact as there is more chance of one of those coming across a very young kitten.

But if we are talking about buzzards here in Ireland, then you will be hard pushed to find any evidence of one attacking and killing a six month old cat.


Would be a bit like saying a White tailed sea eagle could kill a small dog, but the reality would be that such an event has very little chance of happening.[/QUOTE]

I never referred to the 6 month old cat at any stage! Don't be putting words in my mouth!
Thanks!

mr.wiggle

I'm living in my present location for around 8 years now and only this year have I heard and now seen a buzzard pair and their chicks around my house. Earlier in the year I was hearing their 'mewing' but could not catch sight of them. This week I spotted them landing and feeding their chicks who are calling away all day to them. It's great to see them around here, I hope they now stay for the future although I would be fearful of our local hunters as they really are a stand out bird , unfortunately.

Mr.W~

Birdnuts

mr.wiggle wrote: »

I'm living in my present location for around 8 years now and only this year have I heard and now seen a buzzard pair and their chicks around my house. Earlier in the year I was hearing their 'mewing' but could not catch sight of them. This week I spotted them landing and feeding their chicks who are calling away all day to them. It's great to see them around here, I hope they now stay for the future although I would be fearful of our local hunters as they really are a stand out bird , unfortunately.

Mr.W~

The vast majority of people who hunt in this country are decent and law abiding. A minority of ignorant law breakers shouldn't make us loose sight of that fact. Good to hear you have buzzards in your area. Many broods fledging around the country at the moment and this is when they are particularly noisy and noticeable to the general public

Kess73

Eddie B wrote: »

I never referred to the 6 month old cat at any stage! Don't be putting words in my mouth!
Thanks!

The poster that started the thread stated that his cat was six months old and that was the cat the buzzard was possibly interacting with.

So I thought you were talking about the same cat as potentially being prey for a buzzard. Apologies if you meant a much younger kitten as being potentially being seen as prey by a buzzard.

Murray007

I now would go along with the theory that the buzzard was looking at the cat in terms of the cat being a predator.

The buzzard spent the whole weekend coming and going from the trees around the garden mewing at both the cat and the dogs. We discovered that it had a nest in one of the trees closeby although we can't see if there are young birds in it. We also seen it on the road peeling some road kill off the road and the cars had to wait for it to get the roadkill secured in its claws before it took off!

I now think it is a parent bird, feeding young closeby and is watching the cat as it considers it a threat. I hope thats the case anyhow!

mr.wiggle

Just to note I've got one lonely chicken roaming my couple of acres around the house, and it hasn't been bothered by the buzzard. I have found the remains & sites of several bird kills ( pidgeons and blackbirds - have had lots of fledglings this year ), in my garden though, so maybe I should tell Matilda to watch out !?

dodderangler

Pigeons and blackbirds it's probably a cat or sparrowhawk.
I don't know if a female spar would take a chicken though.
Cooper's hawk in America have taken chickens also known as chicken hawk an they'd be the same if not slightly bigger but not much

Wailin

Not a buzzard but frightening nonetheless! Great to see the come back of buzzards in most parts of the country though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb0P5t5NQWM

Birdnuts

Wailin wrote: »

Not a buzzard but frightening nonetheless! Great to see the come back of buzzards in most parts of the country though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb0P5t5NQWM

That video was a well publicized CGI fake. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-20798561.

It was a reckless act given the damage silly myths abouts BOPS like eagles have done to these rare birds over the years

Alun

Wailin wrote: »

Not a buzzard but frightening nonetheless! Great to see the come back of buzzards in most parts of the country though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb0P5t5NQWM

That's a (pretty well known by know) hoax.

http://www.livescience.com/25697-golden-eagle-video-hoax.html

Wailin

Ok guys calm down....it's a hoax......silly me for believing something that looks so real.

dodderangler

Wailin wrote: »

Ok guys calm down....it's a hoax......silly me for believing something that looks so real.

No it's real. I also heard of a fox killing 4 grown men in one night. And I personally seen a kestrel pick up a fully grown German shepherd and fly off with it.

Birdnuts

dodderangler wrote: »

No it's real. I also heard of a fox killing 4 grown men in one night. And I personally seen a kestrel pick up a fully grown German shepherd and fly off with it.

So its you that has been scoffing my supplies of Toilet duck and paint stripper!!;)

Wailin

dodderangler wrote: »

No it's real. I also heard of a fox killing 4 grown men in one night. And I personally seen a kestrel pick up a fully grown German shepherd and fly off with it.

:rolleyes:

endacl

Laila Wonderful Frost wrote: »

I can see a buzzard taking a slow moving grounded hen but I have never seen one attempt to take a kitten and, to be honest, we don't need that kind of negative supposition about one of our few raptors.

I'd go a bit further, and fully expect to be hammered for it.....

We do have few raptors. What harm if they took the odd kitten. We have too many cats.

endacl

Wailin wrote: »

Not a buzzard but frightening nonetheless! Great to see the come back of buzzards in most parts of the country though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb0P5t5NQWM

If you liked that one, you'll love this. They're breeding them on the Curragh.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Error on the link. Who are they and what are they breeding?

endacl

Laila Wonderful Frost wrote: »

Error on the link. Who are they and what are they breeding?

Link is to mobile site. Hang on a mo and I'll embed....

dodderangler

Laila Wonderful Frost wrote: »

Error on the link. Who are they and what are they breeding?

Get with the times an get an iphone dude

Birdnuts

endacl wrote: »

If you liked that one, you'll love this. They're breeding them on the Curragh.

That must be what happens when cowboys get too close to their transport:eek:!!:pac: