Raven/eagle help!!!?

Question

Last week there was a raven attacking my chickens (it killed 1) so i shot it ... well today an eagle was scoping out the chickens and a new kitten we found and took in (she likes it outside but we are keeping her inside now) .. the eagle was going in circles right above her and the chickens so i ran outside and tried to scare it off... i shot a metal wheel barrel to scare it and it flew away

my question is if an eagle/raven is attacking my pets can i shoot it ?

(i live in the middle of nowhere by the way...)

thanks

Answer 1

You are likely allowed to shoot only the ravens, not the eagles.

Now that does not answer the question whether you can shoot them. People can do many things they are not allowed to do.

The main problem with having your chickens exposed where a raven or eagle might get them is not from those birds. It is that they are also exposed to avian flu, from any and all birds that come visit them, share their water or food, just fly in to the area.

The avial flue is kiling a lot of people and a lot of birds world wide, so it is way ahead of a few chickens in importance.

Answer 2

no you cannot shoot eagles(raptors)or any other bird of prey even if it is to protect your farm animals they are protected

Answer 3

First of all, Eagles are fish hunters - so you probably did not see one of them.  It may have been an Red Tailed Hawk though (I have had to discourage them from my pets as well)

Second of all - Ravens are protected :

The Common Raven had nearly disappeared from the northeastern United States in the early part of the 20th century. Its numbers in that area increased markedly in the last half of the century, and it is reoccupying much of its former range. Because of small population sizes in much of the East, it is listed as endangered or threatened in a number of states. Populations have been increasing all across the range, especially in the West where it has taken advantage of human-modified habitats.

Neither are permitted to be harmed in any way. - There are heavy fines and possibly jail time as consequences :



The Protection of Raptors

The federal protection of migratory birds has a long history in the U.S. dating back to 1916 when a treaty was signed between the United States and Great Britain, on behalf of Canada, for the protection of most migratory birds. This treaty resulted in the enactment of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) in 1918, which is the basic law in effect today. Although raptors such as hawks and owls were not protected by the original Act, they were later included as an amendment in 1972. The bald eagle has been protected since the enactment of the Eagle Act in 1940 and the golden eagle, also under the Eagle Act, since 1962. State laws and regulations today likewise protect all migratory birds.

The precise language in the MBTA states:

“Unless and except as permitted by regulations made as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful at any time, by any means or in any manner, to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, attempt to take, capture, or kill, possess, offer for sale, sell, offer to barter, barter, offer to purchase, purchase, deliver for shipment, ship, export, import, cause to be shipped, exported, or imported, deliver for transportation, transport or cause to be transported, carry or cause to be carried, or receive for shipment, transportation, carriage, or export, any migratory bird, any part, nest, or egg of any such bird, or any product, whether or not manufactured, which consists, or is composed in whole or in part, of any such bird or any part, nest or egg.”

As you can see from the above stated legal language, migratory birds are highly regulated. While some, such as waterfowl, can be legally hunted and possessed, there is no such provision for raptors. Eagles, ospreys, hawks, falcons, kites, owls, vultures and all other native North American birds of prey are strictly protected, to include a prohibition against the taking or possession of their parts such as feathers or talons. The only exceptions generally allowed for individuals to these prohibitions require permits from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Educational and scientific institutions are exempted from most permit requirements.

Penalties for violations of the MBTA can go up to $15,000 and 6 months imprisonment for common violations. The sale or barter of migratory birds is a felony with penalties up to $500,000 and 2 years imprisonment. Some raptors, such as the bald eagle, are also protected under the Endangered Species Act, and both the bald and golden eagles are also protected under the Eagle Act.

I highly recommend you make lots of noise to scare the birds away but NOT harm them!

Answer 4

Given the large amount of wild life damage that adult cats cause, I would say let the eagle have lunch.

Domestic cats are responsible for the extinction of several small bird species and the large scale reduction in numbers of several others. Even a quite domestic cat can kill as many as dozen birds in one day, they don’t eat them they are just ‘practice’ hunting.