Predation by what?
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Guest
I was under my martin houses today and I found the remains of one of my martins. It was just feathers that had been plucked and in a circle. There were no bloody carcass just the feather remains. Is this a hawk or an Owl or is this something else entirely? Help Please.
I had the same thing happen last year, and it turned out to be an owl. I put up owl guards and drilled holes through the flooring and put a rod through it , so the owl will not be able to open the doors. I also went out several times at night and scared the owl off with an airhorn.
Hope this helps!
Barbara
Hope this helps!
Barbara
I wouldn't discount a cat.....
When the season is young and those birds are fighting over whose cavity it is they often fall to the ground and focused on their battle would be easy prey for kitty.....
When the season is young and those birds are fighting over whose cavity it is they often fall to the ground and focused on their battle would be easy prey for kitty.....
2004 3pr 13 f 2005 18pr 80 f 2006 36 pr 138 f
2oo7 38 pr 176 f 2008 41 pr 154 f
2009 51 pr 209 f 2010 61 pr 247 f
2011 124E 122Y 55P so far
2 Sweet 16s SREH homemade
2 Trio Castles converted 24 into 12 w/porch dividers + SREH (for sale EOS )
1 towering "20" 76 total cavities
2oo7 38 pr 176 f 2008 41 pr 154 f
2009 51 pr 209 f 2010 61 pr 247 f
2011 124E 122Y 55P so far
2 Sweet 16s SREH homemade
2 Trio Castles converted 24 into 12 w/porch dividers + SREH (for sale EOS )
1 towering "20" 76 total cavities
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Guest
Don't most owls swallow something as small as a Martin whole and Hawks strip feathers ? Isn't that where you get owl pellets from ? The mice and voles and stuff ? And if it were a cat wouldn't there be a gut pile ? I know when they eat mice they leave the stomach.( or some type of insides, gall bladder or some damn thing but it is always the same thing anyway )
I think it is common for owls to leave wings at the site where they consume their prey. Hawks do pluck what they catch so it might have been a hawk. I know a cooper's hawk caught a mourning dove in my yard recently and all I found were loose feathers. Good luck on your predator problems.
Patrick
Patrick
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Owls and hawks will both pluck feathers off their meal before eating it, so that could be either. Cats don't remove feathers but might chew off and discard wings. Raccoons also chew off wings. So it's hard to say, but hawk or owl is certainly possible.
Add a pole guard if you don't have one, if your housing does not have large cavities add owl guards (a wire cage around the house), and you can add guards even if you already have large cavities - it will make them safer.
There is how-to info in the Archives, but be sure to ask if you have more questions.
Louise
Add a pole guard if you don't have one, if your housing does not have large cavities add owl guards (a wire cage around the house), and you can add guards even if you already have large cavities - it will make them safer.
There is how-to info in the Archives, but be sure to ask if you have more questions.
Louise