Would a bird of prey attack a rabbit while I'm there?

[weedug]

I don't know if one bird of prey would pose a threat to your buns. It would depend on whether they were tiny or not. A group of magpies however might be a bigger threat. And a fox would attack whether you were there or not, even during the day. There would also be a risk from a cat attack.

Personally I don't let my buns free range. Apart from anything else, we are surrounded by dogs and I wouldn't like to assume the garden was secure. We also have foxes in the area. I would hate to be in the situation that something happened to them when they were out, because I would blame myself for not keeping them safe. But that is just me. Others would be happy that the bun had fun getting more freedom to run around. After all, the bun is still confined to the garden.

 

[Hoppla]

I personally would err on the side of caution.

You are absolutely right about magpies taking an unhealthy in your rabbits.

I once saw a group of about 5-6 magpies hunting down a young wild rabbit.
They attacked it as a group (almost like a group of wolves).
They formed a circle around it and went for its eyes.
By the time I reached it, it was already too late they pecked though the eyes into the brain and the poor rabbit just lay there twitching until it died.

If magpies can do this to a rabbit I dare not imagine what a bird of prey will do.

I also do not trust seagull with their strong beaks, after I witnessed a seagull attacking and lifting a pigeon off the road.

 

[Summer]

There is a large number of birds of prey where I live and my being in the garden doesn't deter them from hunting the birds or pigeons I've even had a sparrow hawk almost hit me in the face as it's swooped past.
There so fast you never see them coming and it also depends on how hungry they are, the hungrier they are the more risks they will take especially when they have young to feed.

 

[Sue]

Personally, I would think so, definitely. A bird of prey can strike very quickly and lift its' meal away in no time at all.