I just saw a good sized falcon land in my tree. Ralph is out roaming the backyard. He's 18 pounds. Do you think he'll be safe?
falcons????
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yeah, 18ponds is a big boy, i dont think a falcon can pick him up, if he tried i bet he would be surprised, ha
Yah, that falcon would be in for a shock.
To Quote From the Great Monty Python Crew:
1st soldier with a keen interest in birds: Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?
King Arthur: Not at all. They could be carried.
1st soldier with a keen interest in birds: What? A swallow carrying a coconut?
King Arthur: It could grip it by the husk!
1st soldier with a keen interest in birds: It's not a question of where he grips it! It's a simple question of weight ratios! A five ounce bird could not carry a one pound coconut.
1st soldier with a keen interest in birds: Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?
King Arthur: Not at all. They could be carried.
1st soldier with a keen interest in birds: What? A swallow carrying a coconut?
King Arthur: It could grip it by the husk!
1st soldier with a keen interest in birds: It's not a question of where he grips it! It's a simple question of weight ratios! A five ounce bird could not carry a one pound coconut.
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falcon? DOnt falcons pretend to ride mylar balloons as a publicity stunt?
Thanks everyone for putting my mind at ease. My first thought was also no, the bird won't be able to lift him and can somehow sense the tort's size. But then I got to thinking that it may go for the tort's legs or head.
Oh and andred82vert......LOLOLOLOLOLOL
Oh and andred82vert......LOLOLOLOLOLOL
See we have hawks here and I dont think they would pick up a tort. But if they tried and failed and the tort looked good it might try again. And when it did then it might go for the legs or head. I give birds alot of credit when it comes to hunting. But torts look like rocks usually so I wouldn't worry unless they are hovering over your yard.
Wild Sulcatas live around lions, cheetahs, hyenas, etc. I think he can handle a falcon.
The falcon has been coming around for a few weeks, but just this week has been landing on my back fence and in my back tree. Also in my neighbor's tree that hangs over onto my side. I've seen it chase the small sparrows out of the bushes, but am not quite sure why it started landing in MY yard. Ralph has free roam of the backyard during the day and there's NO WAY I can predator proof the entire backyard (i.e. putting chicken wire over my backyard). He's too big to keep in an enclosure all day (he's in it when we aren't home and at night). Even then, he tries to get out because he knows he can.
Probably curious and wonders if its easy food. Or maybe there are other birds or critters eating ralphs food and making easy targets for a falcon. Falcons Hunt in flight, eat birds, hawks, usually go after mice, rats ground critters. Usually.. but they can also be opportunistic. Or teenagers still learning..
Haven't seen him at all today, so maybe he got something to eat yesterday and will stay away for a day or two. He's pretty, though.
Lets just say a large Golden would be hard pressed to pick him up. Although I have seen them manage a good size Jack Rabbit. The eyes might be a problem however. Almost all birds could go for the eyes and your Sulcata may look more like a bird setting on a rock to your Falcon. This time of year Falcons are moving through new areas so would not know about your tortoise. Owls of any size love eyes.
I think a falcon is bigger than a crow. Desert tortoise predation by crows is one of the highest cause of death in the desert tortoise. I've seen older juvenile shells that were obviously picked apart by crows. On the smaller ones, the fly up high and drop them on the rocks to break them open. On the larger ones, they just hold them down with one foot and peck at the flesh. I don't know if a falcon is that smart. Crows are pretty darned intelligent.
Yvonne
Yvonne
Generally, falcons are smaller birds. Large falcons are 4lbs with a body length of 24 inches, but most are a lot smaller than that- the rather common Peregrine is one of the bigger species.
Falcons are designed to hunt flying birds in high-speed diving attacks, but occasionally also eat mammals, and more rarely small reptiles and insects. They have exceptional eyesight and are not going to mistake your tortoise for anything else.
I would doubt that a falcon would do a lot of damage to a decently healthy, withdrawn tortoise- they don't have the long pecking beaks of crows and ravens that can drill into tight spaces and find soft flesh.
Some eagles and hawks are known to prey on small tortoises by picking them up and dropping them on rocks. It is generally believed that this is how the Greek playwright, Aeschylus, was killed. Falcons don't do this.
Falcons are designed to hunt flying birds in high-speed diving attacks, but occasionally also eat mammals, and more rarely small reptiles and insects. They have exceptional eyesight and are not going to mistake your tortoise for anything else.
I would doubt that a falcon would do a lot of damage to a decently healthy, withdrawn tortoise- they don't have the long pecking beaks of crows and ravens that can drill into tight spaces and find soft flesh.
Some eagles and hawks are known to prey on small tortoises by picking them up and dropping them on rocks. It is generally believed that this is how the Greek playwright, Aeschylus, was killed. Falcons don't do this.
Worth a look see. Know thy enemy.
http://creagrus.home.montereybay.com/falcons.html
Crows also come in many sizes. Those on the left coast of the USA are very small. Those in WY are bigger then most Ravens. I still wish I could remember the name of the teacher in Plato's time that was killed by a raptor that dropped a tortoise on his head. Anyone for making a Halloween costume of that?
Both crows and falcons live a long time.
Quote by: Madkins007 "It is generally believed that this is how the Greek playwright, Aeschylus, was killed. Falcons don't do this."
With your help and this web site hopefully I will remember.
Thanks and of course your comon sense about the bill lenth is right on. So now the author of the question can worry more about the morning coffee cletch of crows than falcon.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeschylus
http://creagrus.home.montereybay.com/falcons.html
Crows also come in many sizes. Those on the left coast of the USA are very small. Those in WY are bigger then most Ravens. I still wish I could remember the name of the teacher in Plato's time that was killed by a raptor that dropped a tortoise on his head. Anyone for making a Halloween costume of that?
Both crows and falcons live a long time.
Quote by: Madkins007 "It is generally believed that this is how the Greek playwright, Aeschylus, was killed. Falcons don't do this."
With your help and this web site hopefully I will remember.
Thanks and of course your comon sense about the bill lenth is right on. So now the author of the question can worry more about the morning coffee cletch of crows than falcon.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeschylus
Got yourself a gun??? No more falcon! Set your mind at ease... Blast that sucker then put its corpse up on a skewer as a warning to the rest.
I had a cham in South Africa that was attacked by birds, I popped one with a rifle, after that we didnt have anymore problems. I gues the witnesses told all the other birds not to mess with the cham.
I had a cham in South Africa that was attacked by birds, I popped one with a rifle, after that we didnt have anymore problems. I gues the witnesses told all the other birds not to mess with the cham.
Livingstone said:
I do not have a falcon comming in my yard but I really think that kill it is not the solution. It is not like he tried to attack him or something! I think that being careful while the tortoise is outside is more of a solution.
Yeah, I'm not one much for harming wildlife. It's just nature. What I used to do: I had two short pieces of 2x4, about 6" each. When I saw the hawk on the telephone pole, eying my cats, I would open the door and slap those 2x4's together real hard (watch your fingers!!). It made a very loud shot sound and always scared the hawk away.
Yvonne
Yvonne
1) I can't shoot a gun within city limits.
2) I can't shoot a gun in military housing.
3) I can't shoot wildlife.
2) I can't shoot a gun in military housing.
3) I can't shoot wildlife.
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