CSI Question: What the Predator???

[birddawg]

I have found 3 Rabbits that still have their skeletons along with their head attached. Guts, meat (backstrap) around their backbone and hams have been eaten. It looks like they have not been moved from the killed spot. Skin is still there? Can someone tell me what's doing this?
Thanks,
Ernie Huffman

[grim]

im gonna say small owl or hawk something not strong enough to fly away like a small barn owl maybe this years hatch ive seen them just eat the gut and leave a round hole in the carcass of a rabbit

[birddawg]

Thanks for the input!

It's hard to prevent something when you know what it is, much less if you don't know. The last kill site was close to my camera, but not close enough.

[pcable]

Sounds like a Cooper's Hawk or Goshawk to me. They are very quick and thought to be partially responsible for the population cycle in the ruffed grouse in the north. I have seen several here in Eastern KY in the last few years. One almost hit my wife in the head going after a hummingbird on my Dad's front porch. Scared her to death.

[sbadger]

We have had a time with red tail hawks and Falcon all along State road 63 they set on fence and telephone poles

[warddog]

I'll agree that the hawks have to be a BIG problem. When I traveled north on 63 quite a bit going to Chicago I would see a hawk on nearly every telephone pole up that way. I even commented on it to my cousin one trip. Sure would put a damper on the rabbit population. They are lousey to the south as well but nothing to that extent.