Headless Rabbit

[bennetdr]

I have found three rabbits this spring with the head ate off. The rest of the body is intact. Any suggestions as to what is doing this.

[jason]

Owl!! Rotten S.O.B.'s

[fjg2]

no doubt whatsoever................OWL

[Bad Luck Kennels]

Owl!! Rotten S.O.B.'s

[bennetdr]

Thanks

[Rcoff]

Hey, guys, pardon my ignorance, I'm new to this perdator thing. I always thought an owl would pick the bones clean like a hawk or buzzard does. I never thought an owl had bone crushing ability in its jaws to crush a shull. Can you explain it to me? I don't know.
Thanks,
Bob

[Dale Pea]

Don't know why, just know that an owl will pull the head off, and eat it. They (the owls) are not really hungry or they would eat the whole thing. Just killing because its their nature.

[fulcount]

An owl doesn't crush the skull,they just take the head,can take it off
like it was done by a surgeon/Later in the year they will take the whole rabbit
after gutting it

[LR Patch]

owl , I think it's has to do with the pray's flight reaction . Back years ago when I raised game cocks owls would come in and rip the wings off and leave sometime they ripped out the chest too

[Rcoff]

I found a pile of guts in the pen a month ago, thought it was strange, must have been a stupid owl. Couple of weeks later found a circle of hair, blambed cats, got rid of them, no problems. Have watched out for owls, must be hit and miss when they are there.
About 10 years ago we turned unto a dirt road at night and saw a great horned owl that had just caught a full grown rabbit. His chest was heaving terribly. We watched him in the headlight of the car for a few minutes as he caught his breath, then he tried to fly with the rabbit but couldn't go too far. Maybe that is why they gut them before they take them to lose some weight. It was a full grown Owl as well.
Thanks,
Bob

[Jakeboy]

I believe hawks and owls migrate so the local birds are coming back for the year and the ones you see in winter head back north.

[Marcus Lehotay]

My bet is Phil was really hungry that day

[Mo. Beagler 5000]

Man, when I saw the headline to this post I thought you were gonna have a pic of a rabbit runnin around with no head like that one chicken that lived a full year beheaded...

[bennetdr]

My bet is Phil was really hungry that day

I geuss he could go all "Ozzie on us" LOL

Thanks guys fro the post. Now for the harder question. How do I legally take care of this problem or at least slow it down?. Ive heard about hanging CDs around the pen but have never tried that.
Thanks for your help

[Rcoff]

cd's help with hawks, they avoid my pens like the plague. But I have still lost rabbit to owl. Someone said flasher lights?
Thanks,
Bob