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|  » Stats |
Members: 50,157
Threads: 82,349
Posts: 853,287
Top Poster: glsammy (15,069)
| | Welcome to our newest member, Ye Olde Justin | |  | | 
14-02-2011, 11:58 AM
|  | New Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Southport, Merseyside.
Posts: 24
| |  Will brown rats devour birds' eggs/nestlings?
We've spotted several brown rats in the garden ... they're accomplished climbers and can shimmy up bushes and trees to reach the goodies intended for the birds.
I don't mind that too much as there's plenty of food for all-comers ... but what does concern me is the fact that the rats may decide to feast upon birds eggs, or even nestlings, once Spring is here. Please can anyone tell me whether this is likely? (Although, to be honest, I don't suppose there will be anything that I can do to prevent it!) |
14-02-2011, 12:12 PM
|  | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: N.E.SOMERSET
Posts: 9,044
| | | Re: Will brown rats devour birds' eggs/nestlings?
These amazing rats will move in and take any food source offered, cleaning up around feeders daily especially before dusk is a must.
Your best defence is use the garden, take your cat/dog to the area, have a wee there, move stuff around, put something new into the area I use a metal cat with marbles for eyes they don't like change (it could be a trap)
Then there are the humane trapping and releasing options.
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Your garden their refuge, a jig-saw of habitats for wildlife under pressure |
14-02-2011, 03:31 PM
|  | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 10,729
| | | Re: Will brown rats devour birds' eggs/nestlings?
Yes they will take both nestlings and eggs. They will even predate adult birds if given the opportunity. |
14-02-2011, 05:04 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Weardale, Co Durham
Posts: 1,771
| | | Re: Will brown rats devour birds' eggs/nestlings?
Yes rats will eat anything - especially if it has a pulse.
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The No-Kill Animal Sanctuary www.farplace.org.uk |
14-02-2011, 08:30 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: devon
Posts: 2,176
| | | Re: Will brown rats devour birds' eggs/nestlings?
short answer YES 
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Im at 2 with nature !!! |
14-02-2011, 08:31 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: devon
Posts: 2,176
| | | Re: Will brown rats devour birds' eggs/nestlings?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Farplace  Yes rats will eat anything - especially if it has a pulse. | even if it has not a pulse 
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Im at 2 with nature !!! |
15-02-2011, 08:24 AM
| | New Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Southport, Merseyside.
Posts: 24
| | | Re: Will brown rats devour birds' eggs/nestlings?
Aaaaargghhh ... so we're now faced with the problem of 'evicting' the rats! 
(The resident greyhound and lurcher aren't much of a deterrent, unfortunately!) |
15-02-2011, 08:30 AM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 10,729
| | | Re: Will brown rats devour birds' eggs/nestlings?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZED Aaaaargghhh ... so we're now faced with the problem of 'evicting' the rats!
(The resident greyhound and lurcher aren't much of a deterrent, unfortunately!) | They tend to be more of an issue for ground nesting birds. Often birds nest in very dense vegetation, or areas hidden from predators. Normally they are not a huge issue to hedge/tree nesting birds unless they are in high densities. Its never a particularly good thing to have high densities of rats in an area. It might be worth keeping your feeding station a little cleaner.
What birds do you get breeding in your garden? |
15-02-2011, 08:34 AM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Grantham, Lincolnshire
Posts: 1,928
| |  Re: Will brown rats devour birds' eggs/nestlings?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZED Aaaaargghhh ... so we're now faced with the problem of 'evicting' the rats!
(The resident greyhound and lurcher aren't much of a deterrent, unfortunately!) | Get a Cat
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"We cannot command nature except by obeying her"
Francis Bacon |
15-02-2011, 09:05 AM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 10,729
| | | Re: Will brown rats devour birds' eggs/nestlings?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lance Morgan Get a Cat | Defeats the object, since he/she is trying to protect breeding birds  | | | |
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