Bunnies and magpies

[beki]

We have had 2 magpies living nearby for at least a year. I think they live next door. That house is currently empty and for sale.

My bunnies free range daily until night time.

A few months ago I saw a magpie creep up on Bertie and peck out some of his fur. He is blind in one eye so wouldn’t have seen the magpie sneak up on him.

Today I have just seen a magpie running across the garden chasing Bertie, who ran straight into the hutch. For an old bunny he can run pretty fast and was running at top speed. It then chased betsy bunny under the trampoline.

The magpie flew away when I got to the back door.

Are magpies a threat to the bunnies? Should I keep an eye and try and deter them? Not sure how. I have read somethings that say they can hurt bunnies and some that say not. They are both big bunnies, around 3 kilos each.

The magpies moving in explains where all the tiny birds went to though as we only get pigeons and crows and the odd Robin every now and then.

 

[InspectorMorse]

Magpies will attack small furries. They can do serious damage from one nasty peck with their beak. Free ranging is really not a safe option for Rabbits. I would advice getting a large secure Aviary type set up.

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-care-advice/rabbit-housing/outdoor-rabbit-housing/

 

[mikek]

We have had 2 magpies living nearby for at least a year. I think they live next door. That house is currently empty and for sale.

My bunnies free range daily until night time.

A few months ago I saw a magpie creep up on Bertie and peck out some of his fur. He is blind in one eye so wouldn’t have seen the magpie sneak up on him.

Today I have just seen a magpie running across the garden chasing Bertie, who ran straight into the hutch. For an old bunny he can run pretty fast and was running at top speed. It then chased betsy bunny under the trampoline.

The magpie flew away when I got to the back door.

Are magpies a threat to the bunnies? Should I keep an eye and try and deter them? Not sure how. I have read somethings that say they can hurt bunnies and some that say not. They are both big bunnies, around 3 kilos each.

The magpies moving in explains where all the tiny birds went to though as we only get pigeons and crows and the odd Robin every now and then.

i would be concerned with that magpie behaviour...
free range is fraught with dangers.

 

[beki]

Oh no I thought I was doing best for them by allowing them to free range. We only bunny proofed the garden last summer so they have only just gained their freedom!
I’m not going to be able to fit a big enough aviary run in the garden. Too much kids stuff in it including an enormous climbing frame so I wouldn’t be able to give the buns anything much bigger than the run they already have.
Our garden backs onto a school so we don’t see the magpies all the time, I think it’s too noisy for them when the kids are outside playing. Maybe I can be selective on free range times. The bunnies do love their time out playing. They don’t go out when we are not at home so, as my husband is at home, we are able to keep an eye on them to some extent during the day. Yesterday he put the cat outside. She is smaller than the buns and hates being outside for more than 5 minutes (she wants to be an indoor cat but does like to stroll about outside in the back garden for a few minutes every few days!) so she spent most of the time wailing at the back door, but this kept any magpies away, she is too small and old to chase any birds and couldn’t catch them if she could run but she has a very loud wail so she proved useful yesterday.

 

[keletkezes]

Magpies aren't likely to kill bunnies outright but can cause really awful injuries. Even in the run, Charlie was pecked by one while sleeping next to the edge (through 1"x1/2" mesh). Magpie tried again later and got kicked in the beak for their trouble though, bloomin' right. They never tried again TBH.

We have lots of magpies around but they won't come down because we have too many obstructions: big trees, little bushes, washing line etc., they couldn't get away fast enough from a predator themselves. Could you use some sort of pieces of neeting or strings etc. to provide some cover over the obstructions? Like, tie some string to the climbing frame, then to a bush, then a washing line etc., or would you need to take it down every time you wanted to use somethig? You wouldn't need to cover the whole garden, anything that stops airspace being bigger than about a square yard might work IME.

 

[kattymieoww]

I would also worry about foxes,they can be out in daytime too.They can easily scale six foot fences and walls.I personally wouldn't have free roaming rabbits unless you were there in the garden with them,watching from a window now and then isn't enough.

 

[Omi]

I agree with the last two posts. As KK says it might be possible to set up deterents with netting, string etc. Problem is that Magpies being Corvids, are extremely intelligent. They will very quickly be able to work out what is a threat and what isn't and where they can fly safely. You mention the tiny birds. Magpies here are around at 'baby birds in the nest' time very early in the morning. At that time of the year, it gets light enough for them to raid nests before most humans get up in the morning. They will take eggs and also baby birds.

I also would be scared of Foxes. They will certainly attack during daylight, sometimes even when humans are around in another part of the garden. They, like the Magpies, will watch and assess repetitive habits and behaviours, sometimes for several days, before making their move.

Personally, I doubt whether any deterent will stop a Fox or a Magpie with 100% certainty.

 

[beki]

I could try and set up deterants, that is a good idea!

Foxes - we have heard them occasionally, particularly late on winter nights, but not often at all. The 2.5 meter high wire fencing at the back which has prickly bushes growing through it is a pretty good deterrent I think. The only way a fox is getting in is if it strolls down the very busy main road and down my drive to the side gate. I’m not concerned about foxes in the daytime but always lock the rabbits away in the evening as a precaution.