Jim - One of my Talbot County neighbors has reported losing Pea Fowl in
exactly that manner - head totally gone, and that was all.  The Great Horned
Owl was felt to be the culprit.

Les Roslund
Talbot County
Easton, MD

-----Original Message-----
From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Jim Wilson
Sent: Friday, March 17, 2006 6:37 PM
To: 
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Question about an owl eating a chicken


This morning I found a dead chicken in our rather large fenced in chicken 
area.  The chicken was missing its head, neck and various other parts just 
below the neck.  This is the second chicken that I have lost in this 
manner in the last three months.

I asked an Eastern shore old-timer what kind of animal would chow down on 
a chicken that way.  He responded ... "an owl."

It could be just a coincidence, but I did see a large owl perched in one 
of my pine trees yesterday morning.  I could not ID it with 100% accuracy 
but based on its size, silhouette and flight, I would guess at great 
horned owl.

Question:  Has anyone else out there in bird land ever heard of owls 
eating chickens by starting with the head and working their way down?

BTW ... the Eastern Shore old timer was not Danny Poet.  ;-) Thanks Jim
Wilson Queenstown, MD