# Pigeon Predator



## ozzi (Jun 16, 2010)

A Very strange thing happened this morning. I went out to my pigeon loft to check on them and to my surprise i found one of my 8 month old pigeons killed in a very strange fashion that i have never seen before. The poor thing had its neck broken completely and then had its throat (gizzard)slit. All of the seeds inside of it were eaten and taken out but the body was left meat and all. It was very strange to me that any animal would have the instinct to break the neck and go strait to where the food is and then just leave it for dead. Any ideas or past experiances on what this predator may be so perhaps i can set up some sort of trap or repplent to keep this from re occurring. Thanks i appreciate any feedback


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## hankabus (Dec 3, 2009)

I have heard rats sometimes eat the crops out of pigeons but have never seen it myself. There are no rats or at least they say there are no rats in Alberta. Could be true I've never seen one outside of a lab...

Hank


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## ozzi (Jun 16, 2010)

me 2 never seen rats in alberta


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

mouse or rat... they get them at night when they don't move... you will have to go over your whole loft and see how they may get in.. they can get in in some of the smallest holes.. they even can flatten out and go in a small slit of a hole...


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## ozzi (Jun 16, 2010)

is this common though for mice and rats to go for just the seed? are they not interested in the meat as well. I also have a lot of squirrels in my area and they are know to eat seed and nuts, could this also be a possibility?


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## Rafael/PR (Sep 8, 2008)

sound like you have a rat problem , because rat kill that way to get the seed off your pigeon


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

I agree with spirit_wings--mouse or rat.


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## ozzi (Jun 16, 2010)

how about squirrels ?


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## blongboy (Nov 10, 2009)

it's a rat


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Mouse/rat. I have never heard of a squirrel harming a bird.


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## ozzi (Jun 16, 2010)

So mouse or rat what should I do to keep them a way


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## ozzi (Jun 16, 2010)

Don't you thing mouse is too small to break the pigeon neck completely and as I said before we don't have rats in Alberta 

Thank you


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

Well what ever it was, make sure it can't get back in to harm another one of your pigeons! Seal ANY small holes or cracks. Doesn't matter how small it might be, just cover it. Better safe than sorry. Sorry for your loss though  I had a rat get in my smaller loft 2 years ago. Killed a pigeon from its neck and tried taking the pigeon back through the same hole it came through. The pigeon was to big so I woke up to find a head less pigeon stuck in the hole.

There ARE rats in British Columbia so I don't see how there can't be any in Alberta


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## hankabus (Dec 3, 2009)

It is true it is claimed there are no rats in Alberta. I can honestly say I have lived here all my life and have never seen a rat other than a muskrat which is totally different. However there could be a rat near your loft, if you have any signs of one be sure to let the fish and game office know and they will be out there immediately to eradicate (sp) the problem. They take it very very serious. I wonder if a weasel could do that to a pigeon, or would a weasel eat the meat??


Anyway try to close up any openings that could possibly let a rodent in. I would be curious to know what it is as you only live an hour north of me.

Note: I say it is a possibility it could be a rat, It is also said there are no raccoons in Alberta but there was one that came in on a truck from Ontario to a petrochemical plant I worked at near Red Deer.

Hank


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

First thing would be to secure the loft from any openings. Try to find out where it could have came in through. Knowing this can give us an idea of what it could have been. 

Also, don't use poison as it could be harmful for lets say a dog that catches what ever it is, or a cat. Try using a humane trap to catch what ever it is.


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

Those creatures come out at night unless you have bad infestation. Set up a trap and you might get your assassin.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Sorry about your bird 
That is a 'classic' *Rat* attack. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Rat
Scroll down in this link and look at their range!! Trust me, they are in Alberta....their everywhere. They come out at night. I lost almost half my birds (30+/-) in one night. You must secure your loft of any gaps or holes.....they WILL be back.


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## Pigeonmumbler (Jun 6, 2010)

It sounds like it could be a Rat, weasel or small raccoon … Also watch out for droppings they can and do cause salmonella and ecoli and sickness in the birds… I think you can rule out the death of your bird to Rats or other Critters of that size or Larger because they do tare open the Crop, neck or lower chest area of the bird to get to the seeds or small Organs and Head… Large Rats, Weasels and Raccoons would tare the Bird(s) apart to the Point that there would be feathers & Body parts all over the inside of the Loft and they would not stop with one bird, unless something scared them off…?… A few recommendations that may help are as Follows: Don’t feed your Birds in the Loft anymore, Feed them in the Flying pen. Don’t leave feed laying around, feed them only what they eat twice a day. Get into the habit of measuring their feed intake and clean up the feeding trays & (sweep) the little bit of feed they cast to the ground… I also Remove their water cans before I shut the coop doors for the night because small mice & rats may drink from them as they eat the seeds…… Look to see if you have small holes in the inside of the loft, the size of at least a dime a mice can get through, a nickel or Larger a small rat ETC… check screened wire around your flying pen & air vents in the ceiling or floor that lead inside your loft… time for “Lock Down Inspection” of every nick & cranny of the loft and Screen flying pen…!… I have had lofts with hundreds of birds for over 40 years now and I’ve had my share of mishaps in the past… And I hate to sound so dramatic about it, but its just a few Ideas and a check list to follow while you find out what killed your bird…?… good Luck…


Louie


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## ozzi (Jun 16, 2010)

sorry guys may i did not explane where it happened right it did not happened inside the loft it happened in the screened wired flying pen and its secured and he's the only bird who loved to sleep out in flying cage summer and winter time for more then 8 month ,right now I cant see any sign of hole around it bec of the snow i guess i have to wait till the snow is gone and i will keep you up date if i fund any sign of holes .
i want to thanks every one on this very helpfull site and friendly people

thanks alot


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## tjspigeon (Apr 26, 2011)

It is squirrel, I caught them eating my fantail eggs and was suprised. I read that they also could it the small ones.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

ozzi said:


> sorry guys may i did not explane where it happened right it did not happened inside the loft it happened in the screened wired flying pen and its secured and he's the only bird who loved to sleep out in flying cage summer and winter time for more then 8 month ,right now I cant see any sign of hole around it bec of the snow i guess i have to wait till the snow is gone and i will keep you up date if i fund any sign of holes .
> i want to thanks every one on this very helpfull site and friendly people
> 
> thanks alot


the rat could of gotten in the loft part and then went out to the aviary.. a pic of your set up may help.


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

tjspigeon said:


> It is squirrel, I caught them eating my fantail eggs and was suprised. I read that they also could it the small ones.


Squirrels may eat eggs if they have not stored enough nuts/seeds to last them through the winter (squirels collect more than they need to eat at the time, then "hoard" or bury them in close proximity to their drey (nest) to feed on weeks later), but they will not kill and eat out of the crop of a pigeon. Also, with the exception of the flying squirell, they are NOT nocturnal, they forage for food during daylight hours from morning to early afternoon.


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## rbflight (Dec 31, 2008)

*it could also be a weasel, possum or raccoon. This is the usual for them. anyway none of them are good and they all like to eat pigeons. Make sure they can not get back in.*


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