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Re: Black Vultures as preditors



Reece, and carolinabirds:

>From my personal experience, some black vultures WILL predate newborn lambs
and piglets, if they are born on pasture. I have twice witnessed attacks on
newborn lambs on my own farm, last about 1996.

I have heard that black vultures will attack newborn calves, injuring the
calf to the extent that it will either die or have to be put down by the
farmer. I have not witnessed this, though I have heard such from sources I
consider reliable.

There are a number of historical references to this behaviour, especially A.
C. Bent.

The information coming out of Virginia over the last ten or twelve years
always appears to refer to vultures in a huge roost in a bend in the New
River near the Radford Arsenal. Most of the stories of lamb and calf
predation seems to come from Wythe and Grayson and Carroll Counties in
Virginia, and is filtered through the "livestock grapevine". There is some
element of truth to it, but probably exaggerated.

This is probably learned behaviour, and I doubt that all black vultures do
it.

Sincerely,

James H. Coman, III
Executive Director
Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust
P.O. Box 2557
Boone, N. C. 28607
Farm Office 336-359-2909
Fax 336-359-8643 









on 10/25/03 7:55, Reece Mitchell at rmitche2@tds.net wrote:

> Today's Hendersonville, NC paper carried an AP article about Black Vultures
> killing lambs, newborn calves, and even adult animals when in the process of
> giving birth.
> The article was based on information from farmers in Ohio, but also mentions
> "Southeatern states" including Virginia.
> I am aware that Black Vultures have been killed in Virginia, supposedly to
> protect livestock.
> Can someone supply me with factual information about this subject? I have
> had two calls already this morning from people who are upset by the AP
> article.
> Many thanks.
> Reece
> Reece 'n Judy Mitchell
> Flat Rock, NC
> rmitche2@tds.net
> 
>