What the...?

Scott Eveland · 06-15-2008, 05:57 PM

This guy's neck was caught in the crook of a branch. No signs of any foul play. Strange freakish death of a raptor?

Carilee · 06-15-2008, 06:05 PM

That is really weird. Maybe if the bird is young it just hasn't learned to judge distances very well. It's hard to imagine a mature bird hurting itself that way. Very strange.

**holdemplyer** · 06-15-2008, 08:03 PM

Was there a close examination of this bird to insure no foul play? I couldn't see a bird do that at any age. that is one of the strangest things i've ever seen.

LiquidSteel · 06-15-2008, 08:20 PM

At a place where I used to play paintball, we came across a large owl that had impailed itself on a tree branch. Very odd to see something like this. We ended up burying the owl.

Scott Eveland · 06-15-2008, 10:56 PM

Yes, CSI-Lake McConaughy conducted a thorough investigation.

No evidence of shot or trauma.

We (me and a Park Super who found it) theorized perhaps it was on a higher branch and went to swoop on some prey and hit just right (wrong). Or maybe it was on a branch above and died for another reason (west nile?), and just fell in that position.

I'm not a raptor expert, but talked with a CO about it (he's not an expert, but knows more than the boat cop). If someone on here has a better theory, I'd love to hear it. Just a very strange finding.

This was in a grove of old cottonwoods near the Theis Bay area of Lake McConaughy. It was spotted by a third party who originally reported it as an eagle hanging from a tree.

Scott

Shorty · 06-16-2008, 08:43 AM

Scott, to me it looks like a flying accident, I'm guessing that the raptor was focused on a prey item when it hit the tree/tree limb. I saw somethinig similar 5 years ago, it was an owl that had wrapped itself up on a barbed wite fence.

CanoeGuru · 06-16-2008, 10:16 PM

Weird. The first thing I thought of when I saw it was a bird I once saw in Spain, near the base where I was stationed. Out in the country, where I was riding my mountain bike, there was a bird hung by a cord from a tree. The cord was around its neck. Never did find anyone who could explain to me why a bird had been hung.

06-15-2008, 05:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
Scott Eveland Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: The Water, The West, The Best Posts: 599 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	What the...? This guy's neck was caught in the crook of a branch. No signs of any foul play. Strange freakish death of a raptor? __________________ This post was generated on my own computer on my own time. The views expressed herein may or may not necessarily reflect those of my employer. I'm not an expert on anything. I probably am wrong, so don't believe me.

06-15-2008, 08:03 PM	#3 (permalink)
holdemplyer Director Join Date: May 2007 Location: hunting for Kenzies MA gill!!! Posts: 1,710 Thanks: 3 Thanked 9 Times in 2 Posts	Was there a close examination of this bird to insure no foul play? I couldn't see a bird do that at any age. that is one of the strangest things i've ever seen. __________________ Did you know a catfish can pull two grown men and a small two man boat loaded with gear and anchor around a lake? To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

06-15-2008, 08:20 PM	#4 (permalink)
LiquidSteel Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: La Vista NE Posts: 662 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	At a place where I used to play paintball, we came across a large owl that had impailed itself on a tree branch. Very odd to see something like this. We ended up burying the owl. __________________ Work is for people that suck at fishing.

06-15-2008, 10:56 PM	#5 (permalink)
Scott Eveland Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: The Water, The West, The Best Posts: 599 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Yes, CSI-Lake McConaughy conducted a thorough investigation. No evidence of shot or trauma. We (me and a Park Super who found it) theorized perhaps it was on a higher branch and went to swoop on some prey and hit just right (wrong). Or maybe it was on a branch above and died for another reason (west nile?), and just fell in that position. I'm not a raptor expert, but talked with a CO about it (he's not an expert, but knows more than the boat cop). If someone on here has a better theory, I'd love to hear it. Just a very strange finding. This was in a grove of old cottonwoods near the Theis Bay area of Lake McConaughy. It was spotted by a third party who originally reported it as an eagle hanging from a tree. Scott __________________ This post was generated on my own computer on my own time. The views expressed herein may or may not necessarily reflect those of my employer. I'm not an expert on anything. I probably am wrong, so don't believe me. Last edited by Scott Eveland; 06-15-2008 at 11:00 PM.

06-16-2008, 08:43 AM	#6 (permalink)
Shorty Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: on the water near Lincoln Posts: 1,366 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Scott, to me it looks like a flying accident, I'm guessing that the raptor was focused on a prey item when it hit the tree/tree limb. I saw somethinig similar 5 years ago, it was an owl that had wrapped itself up on a barbed wite fence. __________________ The best thing you can stock your tackle box with is confidence.

06-15-2008, 06:05 PM	#2 (permalink)
Carilee Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Omaha Posts: 394 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	That is really weird. Maybe if the bird is young it just hasn't learned to judge distances very well. It's hard to imagine a mature bird hurting itself that way. Very strange.

06-16-2008, 10:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
CanoeGuru Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Lincoln Posts: 1,041 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Weird. The first thing I thought of when I saw it was a bird I once saw in Spain, near the base where I was stationed. Out in the country, where I was riding my mountain bike, there was a bird hung by a cord from a tree. The cord was around its neck. Never did find anyone who could explain to me why a bird had been hung. __________________ "Survival depends on being able to suppress anxiety and replace it with calm, clear, quick and correct reasoning..." -Sheck Exley

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