Eagle Owls

hi pipit, someone mentioned this bird on the forum july august time, the police had

to close the footpath, becaus it was attacking dogs, and people, i was saying about a pair that had bred

in yorkshire for over forty years, when roy denis did a programme on them,someone obviously reconised

the spot, not long after they were shot, these birds were doing no one any harm, one the youngsters, flew to where i live, and i was called out to rescue it, i hasten to add it did no stay long it was off. a very impresive bird.best regards mac

Unknown said:

An interesting report on Eagle Owls on the One Show tonight.

I was attacked by an Eagle Owl near Dunsop Bridge, Lancashire, so it is a bird near to my heart (literally).

It has a bad press for attacking other birds of prey, especially the Hen Harrier, but there is no evidence that these accusations are true.

Try to catch it on BBC i Player if you can.

Pipit

Yes, mac

The footpath at Dunsop Bridge is closed every breeding season now. The owls do go for dogs rather than people and when I was hit we did have a dog with us.

I was totally amazed when I saw the owl. It was perched about 10 yards away before it went for us. A beautiful, beautiful bird.

I hope they survive now they have reintroduced themselves into our countyside.

Pipit

hi pipit, there are more breeding eagle owls, than people realise, they are a beautiful owl, but

very powerful, i once rescued one that was caught in a tree, by gum did i have some marks

on my arms afterward. best regards mac

Unknown said:

Yes, mac

The footpath at Dunsop Bridge is closed every breeding season now. The owls do go for dogs rather than people and when I was hit we did have a dog with us.

I was totally amazed when I saw the owl. It was perched about 10 yards away before it went for us. A beautiful, beautiful bird.

I hope they survive now they have reintroduced themselves into our countyside.

Pipit

Oooo mac, I reckon I was lucky. I just had talon marks in my rucksack. I did meet a guy that day with puncture marks in his neck from the same owl.

Luckily the local farmers and residents value the owl family and have them protected.

Quite a character to meet eye to eye, wouldn't you agree.

Pipit x

i most certainly would, i have handled one or two, when i ran a rescue centre, some that

we rescued were in appaling condition, kept in cages, wrongly jessed up, the one in the tree

had very long jesses on its legs hence why it had got caught up, the police found the owner, but

through the courts, would not let him keep it, so it was rehomed at an owl sanctuary, but they are

one of the most stricking birds in the owl world, and in your case it must have been an eirie feeling,

as you cannot hear them coming. best regards mac

Unknown said:

It has a bad press for attacking other birds of prey, especially the Hen Harrier, but there is no evidence that these accusations are true.

I don't think that this is entirely accurate. By and large Eagle Owls are content to exist on Rabbits and Hares but where these are in short supply the Owls "diversify". They can hunt air to air or by ground attack; They are big, aggressive and have been known to take young foxes. They certainly predate Buzzards (caught at roosting sites) and are perfectly capable of taking other raptors. Where Hen Harrier and Eagle Owl territories overlap the Harrier would be at some risk. 

Overseas, Barn Owls have been recorded among Eagle Owl prey items along with a variety of mammals, reptiles (including tortoises) and diverse birds. Coastal Eagle Owls favour ducks and other seabirds.

JBNTS

Apologies John and Robbo

What I should have said was that there is no evidence that these attacks adversely affect the populations of Hen Harriers. It is true that the Eagle Owl is very aggressive.

Pipit

Mac said:

 in your case it must have been an eirie feeling,

as you cannot hear them coming. best regards mac

That was the most eirie thing about it - I never heard it coming!!!

Pipit

just imagine if you had a camea with you wow. best regards mac

Unknown said:

 in your case it must have been an eirie feeling,

as you cannot hear them coming. best regards mac