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Eagles | Eagle Overview | Eagle Damage Assessment | Eagle Damage Management | Eagle Acknowledgments | Eagle Resources | ICWDM | Wildlife Species Information |
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Golden Eagles
Golden eagles occasionally kill livestock, primarily lambs and kids on range. This predation can be locally severe in the sheep-producing areas from New Mexico to Montana (Phillips and Blom 1988).
Close examination is needed to identify an eagle kill. Eagles have three front toes opposing the hind toe, or hallux, on each foot. The front talons normally leave punctures about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.0 cm) apart in a straight line or small “V” and the wound from the hallux will be 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) from the middle toe. In contrast, mammalian predators almost always leave four punctures or bruises from the canine teeth. Talon punctures are usually deeper than tooth punctures and there is seldom any crushing of tissue between the talon punctures. If a puncture cannot be seen from the outside, skin the carcass to determine the pattern of talon or tooth marks. Often a young lamb is killed with a single puncture from the hallux in the top of the skull and the three opposing talons puncturing the base of the skull or top of the neck (O’Gara 1978, O’Gara 1994).
Summary of Damage Prevention and Control Methods
Exclusion
Keep livestock in buildings or in pens. Fences alone are ineffective.
Cultural Methods and Habitat Modification
Use brushy and wooded pastures to reduce exposure of livestock. Increase human activity near sheep and goat herds—herding. Change lambing and kidding seasons.
Confine ewes in sheds during lambing and kidding periods.
Remove carrion (dead animals) in livestock pastures.
Frightening
Scarecrows may discourage eagles from using an area for a limited period of time, usually up to 3 weeks.
Guard dogs that are aggressive toward predators may repel eagles.
Hazing with aircraft has limited value and requires a written permit from the Director, US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
Repellents
None are registered.
Toxicants
Toxicants are not permitted for eagle control.
Trapping and Snaring
Limited live capture and transplanting of eagles is conducted under permit by the USFWS or USDA-APHIS-Animal Damage Control.
Shooting
State and federal permits are required but are not issued.
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Eagles | Eagle Overview | Eagle Damage Assessment | Eagle Damage Management | Eagle Acknowledgments | Eagle Resources | ICWDM | Wildlife Species Information |
