Poor little black bird

[Vixen]

After cleaning out my ferrets, I saw what looked like strange leaves on the grass in the corner of the garden. To my suprise it was a dead black bird I'm guessing it was a cat attact, it had it fethers on it's back and front plucked, there was lots of fethers around the body, there was a couple of punture wounds, and one of the legs was missing.

I dout it was a Sparrowhawk, as I never seen any round here, it could have been a buzzard they are around here but they never come close to the gardens. I also exspect if it was a bird of prey they would have taken the food with them, plus it was in a strange place in the garden to have been dropped by one.

So if it was a cat how can I stop it from coming in my garden again. I can't use anything that would upset the ferrets that live in the garden or my dog who has a run area away from the bird feeders.

[glsammy]

I don't know how you can stop cats, I certainly have failed. My neighbour has two cats that delight in leaving body parts from their nightly escapades outside our patio doors, shrews, mice etc. I try and keep them out especially as I'm trying to increase the number of birds that visit, but it's mission impossible.

[Lincs Yellowbelly]

I would say it's almost certainly a Sparrowhawk, they pluck the prey where killed, it was probably disturbed and left it.

[aeshna5]

Vixen, I'd be surprised if there aren't Sparrowhawks near you as they seem to be nearly everywhere, but can be easy to miss.

If bird was plucked look at base of quill. If it was done by cat or other mammal, there would be bite marks at base. If quill is unattacked it was plucked by a bird, most likely a Sparrowhawk.

[Vixen]

interesting.

I'd rather it be a Sparrowhawk. It looked like cleanly done where the fethers where missing. I just suprised at the lack of tallons marks.

With I taken it to show my boss at the wildlife hospital now, he be able to tell me if it was a cat or not.

[Dogghound]

If its cats then i keep Polecats and have had ferrets, the best way i have found to keep the cats at bay, but its abit smelly is use the ferret faeces and put it round the garden in the borders etc cats hate it!

[Vixen]

cool I give it ago.

You have True Polecats?? wow what they like to keep and where did you get them from. I have a posable hybird, that came from a rescue. His owner bred for working and only kept jills from the litters. He was a pain to start with, he settling now, still has his moments.