Anyone dealt with Caracaras or Mexican Eagles in regard to them killing kid goats or lambs or fawns? Read where they are a protected species, but have never dealt with them before. Thinking about leasing some land south of I-10 in Texas to specifically run some goats on and had someone mention these birds as a possible problem. Any input would be appreciated. Looked them up and they were listed as scavengers, but it also said they could be birds of prey if conditions were right. I guess they can go either way, AC or DC. Lol!!

I used to hunt a ranch along the border and the crazy Mexican hand would shoot them, he didn't care how illegal it was. He said they would eat the newborn fawns.

While hunting in Hondo area once, watched a pair swooping down trying to pickup live fawns.

They are an issue for anything newborn but other than running them off nothing else can legally be done to them

I heard they were hard on Quails also!

Black Headed Buzzards are the same along with few Mexican eagles up here. Killed a 6 day old calf the other day !

My understanding is if they are predatory on livestock you are cleared hot.

Best policy is S.S.S.

Had a pair land behind me last season near a dead pig. Only seen them Twice while hunting and both times they were after dead pigs.

Never seen them take down anything big. Most of time I see them they are picking on something dead, or hopping around chasing bugs or insects of some sort. Never took them as being predatory.

I know they'll go after newborn calves. Would assume they'll go after new born anything.

I just manage my ranch and do what’s needed.

We need to get MythBusters on this ASAP. Fact or fiction?

Not fiction

Why are they protected? South of San Antonio they are nowhere close to short supply!

I've seen the black headed buzzards kill a newborn lamb. Have a bunch of the carcaras down here in Val Verde County but have only seen them as carrion eaters, not as killers.

The pigs they were on had been killed by me. Used to see them on the road driving to lake Whitney in the early morning. They were looking for roadkill like buzzards do.

Last summer, there were 2 of them that flew over our house almost every afternoon, just before the sun went down. I even saw them flying a couple of miles away and they were always together.

Raptors are protected Federal and usually State. Contact your representatives/law makers and let them know.

We have them in paint rock. I’ve read somewhere they can’t take the hornady 3” BB coyote load very well

Yep, Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Everything is hard on Quail.

JR

Turkey vultures are supposed to be scavengers too. In SE missouri they are hell on calves, so much they are allowed to shoot them. They start with the eyes.

All the big carnivorous birds are both predators and scavengers. If they find an easy meal they will kill it.

I think eagles have something to do with the legend of the chupacabra.

Yeah Mexican Eagles are actually part of the Falcon family. Apparently they don't have the means to open up a carcass so they rely on buzzards, and vultures to do the hard work, then they clean up afterwards.

We don't have any real trouble with the redheads, it's the black-headed variety that cause us the headaches. They will kill a ewe/goat/new offspring in a hurry if they get a chance.