Bournemouth area (UK)- buzzards warning

[RosL]

This message is from a good friend of mine from a Yahoo group. The information was given to her by her vet, Tom Mowlem of Companion Care in Bournemouth.

"There are three pairs of nesting buzzards in the Bournemouth area - a pair in the parkland behind us and two pairs in a nearby park. Tom said they would snatch a bunny no problem - and frequently do ( He had treated a bun who had been landed on by a buzzard. The owner managed to scare it off before it had a chance to drag it away but the unfortunate bun lost a leg and was severely mauled. He was PTS.

Apparently the ones I have behind me are a very rare 'golden' buzzard and are bigger than normal ones (which is why I honestly thought I had seen a golden eagle when it swooped in and took a pigeon)

Please be careful out there."

 

[golfdiva]

When you say "buzzard" do you mean "vulture", or some other bird with a different name in the states?

I understood vultures eat carrion and don't kill live animals.

 

[dragynflye]

a buzzard is a bird of prey, and can definitely carry of a rabbit.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/b/buzzard/index.aspx

 

[RosL]

Buzzards are birds of prey as well as eaters of carion, though the carion is a second choice for them. They are large and while a larger breed of rabbit probably couldn't be carried off, they can certainly be attacked and injured, as the example given shows.

We do tend to have outdoor rabbits in the UK, or houserabbits who are allowed access to gardens for playtime. We have a temperate climate, few (but not no) predators and vaccinations against such diseases as VHD and Myxomatosis, but we cannot afford to be complacent and if buns are allowed into the garden to play, then they ought to be protected from both ground and aerial attacks, by use of a sturdy system of runs and tunnels, with an enclosed hiding area.

I'm saving up for a system such as the one shown [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4z_Mrg-lpc]here[/ame]. (first seen 1min 10sec into the video but the whole thing is well worth watching) Others have different arrangements. I'd specifically go for the smaller guage mesh that the company offers, use the 'skirting' and buried tunnels to allow my bunnies to dig but not dig out and so that nothing else could dig in. I believe they'd love this and would have far more variety than in a plain run.

 

[golfdiva]

I see! Thanks for the link! You learn something new everyday!

 

[CB Millicent]

Oooh! I want to make a bun run like the one in the video!