Turkey Vulture / Red-Tailed Hawk Question

My land backs up to state land where there is a large number of Turkey Vultures living. I just moved here and do not know much about this type of bird. Every web site I check states that turkey vultures will not pick up live animals however, my neighbor tells me that he's lost 2 cats to them that were picked up right in front of either his wife or himself. I have small dogs so am obviously very concerned and first really noticed these birds as three of them were circling my dog yard while my dogs were out. Has anyone seen a Turkey Vulture pick up a live animal? We also have a family of Red-Tail Hawks which I can only identify by the crows chasing them away. My smallest dog is about 8lbs and I'm hoping is too big for the Hawk. But again, I figured people who watch them may know how big of an animal they may pick up? All I could find is they eat "small to medium" sized animals. If my dogs are not in danger, I do not want to bother the birds. But if they are, I want to research ways to discourage them from coming anywhere near my dog yard.
Thanks,
Kristen

I think Resin would probably be able to better answer this but I think if something is hungry enough it will go outside its normal routine to eat. I wouldn't be surprised if they would eat something live even though they normally don't but I personally have never seen them take anything thats alive. The Red Tailed Hawks, I don't know what their weight carrying limit is but I certainly would not take a chance with the dogs.
Whatever you read about discouraging them please remember their protected by law.

This message was edited Feb 6, 2007 12:28 PM

Thanks Pellet..I have no desire to do anything to the birds, they were here before me and have more of a right IMO, I just want to protect my dogs. I have dog yard that is about 100x200 that is 10 acres away from the state land. I've read a little about hanging CD's and sprinkler systems to discourage them from the dog area. These are the types of discouragements I'm looking into and will continue to research this vein of discouragement.
thanks,
Kristen

I have seen the hawks follow a kitten down the street. thank heavens i didnt see it pick it up. I have a small dog out in the yard with hawks. We also have alot of trees so the hawk cant do much hunting and diving. We do have to fence the wet areas around the parks, as the alligators will for sure get an eight pound dog, and have a few times at the parks here in town. I do have a hawk that dive bombs my screen trying to get at the goldfish in the pond. Thank goodness it has never broke thru. Then the dominos would start falling and the dogs would trap and kill the hawk, then the dogs would start fighting with each other over who gets the hawk...would be awful. Bad enough on a wren or cardinal level.

I'd guess the Turkey Vultures might have picked up on the scent of the dogs' food bowls. They have, unusually for a bird, a very good sense of smell, and can smell meat from a surprisingly long way off.

You're right that a Red-tailed Hawk (1 kg weight) couldn't possibly cope with taking a 3.5 kg dog - they're perfectly safe there, too.

Resin

LOL....GG, your house sounds a little like mine :-)
Dog area, altho attached to the house on one side and deck up against 2/3's of another side, is open...completely open. There are trees outside of it, but none that cover it or are in it.
When I let the dogs out, I'm right there with them. And coyotes at night so same story after dark. They get to potty then right back in the house. I'm terrified to just leave them outside and they love to sunbathe which I'm sure looks like a dead animal to the birds so I don't let them.
They are also old dogs. One's blind, one's deaf, one's got back problems, one's missing his brain. I have four total. I may build them a smaller "run" inside the yard up against the house so they can at least stay outside safely then let them into the bigger part of the yard when we are out there with them. At least then they would get some actual outside time which they love. A long, narrow run that's parallel to the house should be OK, right? Don't these birds need a large area to swoop in to pick something up?
Thanks,
Kristen

Thanks Resin! I thought the hawk looked too small to pick up my smallest.
The dogs eat inside, no food bowls, no food outside. I was out at the barn when I saw them circling the yard so I don't know if any of the dogs were sunbathing or laying down. You think they are safe with the vultures?
Thanks,
Kristen

Resin, They wouldn't go after the dogs on the ground even if they couldn't carry them off? Just curious.

Yep, safe. You only need worry about larger mammalian predators - coyotes in particular, if they are in the area.

Resin

I witnessed a Hawk Owl repeatedly attract a toy pootle. The dog was at least four or five times the size of the owl, and easily defended its self. This was not a defense of nesting territory, because it was late fall at the time.