Got home last night,looked out of the window to see if the dogs were ok, my G.S.P was playing with somthing, I couldn't quite see what it was so went outside to investigate.
Called her and down the path she came trotting with a Magpies wing in her mouth, I search the garden for the remains and all I could find were two tail feathers in her bed.All I can asume is she killed and eat every last bit of it ( going to wait for nature to take its course so I can confirm...if you no what I mean)
When I walk her down the canal several times she has picked up and eaten dead fish, is she missing something in her diet ,she has a dry complete meal first thing in the morning and late on the evening (I have tried several different brands and this is the only one she has liked...she would eat the others for several weeks then totally go of them ) but I have to put a spoon full of tinned dog food in.
Is she showing signs of some sort of diet deficiency.

No should not think so, she just enjoys the chase and when she catches her prey she does what comes naturaly and eats it. Don't worry most birds will manage to get away, set against a cat, dogs make poor bird killers. Jackie H

I wouldn't worry....any dog that kills magpies is a hero in my eyes!

I was just going to say the same thing Sam!! has she caught any Squirrels, Crows, Wood pigeons or Collared Doves Craig?

Seriously, I don't think your dog is missing anything in her diet, she is a hunter by nature, just a bit confused.
Dawn.

OI!

Magpies are my favourite wild bird thank you! :)

They have an undeserved reputation ....well ....IMHO :D

Melody

Hi Melody

Undeserved reputation for what??

I love to watch the aerial acrobatics of young magpies but each time they are around there are no young blackbirds, thrushes or pigeons around. Having watched one pair of ring doves try to raise a brood in the tree outside my window for three years running and the magpies come in in the early morning and take all the babies, very noisily, I wonder what reputation you mean.

A reputation for taking other birds eggs from the nest - yes they do this as well.

A reputation for taking young duckings and chicks that I was trying to raise - yes they do this as well. When I was breeding ducks I tended to feel the same way towards magpies as I do towards foxes :-)

Christine

Magpies are killing all the little sparrows in my garden, but they are a very nice looking bird
but ruthless killers ,We also had to protect the ducklings from them .plus we also have crow's

Pat x

Jackie,
The point I should have mentioned is Bodie is a working gundog, she is use to retreiving game, but the worry now is she suddenly has a taste for feathers.....why eat the whole bird , I could understand leaving the beak,legs or any other bits , but all I could find where 2 tail feathers in her bed.

Woooooooooooops Yes I can see that could be a bit of a problem, but if she is trained I would think she will know when she can eat and when not. She will know if its her kill or not and if not she should work properly. Now I don't know what I'm talking about really, think we need John to put me right. Jackie H

Don't leave her alone in a game cart ;-)

My IG is a bird killer - to date he has murdered 3 Wood Pigeons and 2 Magpies. He waits until they swoop into the garden and he is on them sometimes before they land

Shame about the woodies ... give him a pat on the head for the magpies :-)

Leigh,
I'm taking her out the weekend,see what she will be like with a few pigeons.......just hope it hasn't started her being hard mouthed.

I doubt one close encounter with a magpie will make her hard mouthed Craig :-) Try not to tense up when she retrieves something for you or she will sense it and then she will crunch it ;-)

Give him/her pat on the head from me!
Dawn.

Oooooooo echo :D

Posted exactly the same time as me Leigh!, great minds eh?
Dawn.

TWICE !!! ;-) lol

And you got priority again Leigh :D :D
Gina x

My garden was full of lovely birds last year but this year because of 14 magpies there are only crows and starlings , last time I saw my robin was months ago hope they have not killed him he was so tame . I am thinking I may try and poison them myself . they are very beautiful but remind me of the wicked queen in snow white. Nothing more beautiful than them must live. shame.

Mari,
They are beautiful, clever birds .I had one as a pet for several years,but like every one has pointed out nasty killing machines. I remember seeing a magpie kill a nest full of blackbirds in a few minutues.
Be carefull about using poison,it could be carried into the food chain, a fox finds a carcass eats it, it gets poisoned aswell........plus I don't know how you stand legally.
You would be better off using an air rifle.......better still borrow my dog, it would save on my feed bill , plus you get rid of your magpies

I think Mari was joking Craig :D but I agree, I think poisoning might be illegal. Something is for sure, if someone doesn't get on top of the growing numbers of these villains, there won't be any songbirds left :-( Mari, do you know someone with a rifle?

I agree with Craig...poisoning is not the way to do it......anything eating the carcass will also be poisoned, be it a raptor or a dog etc. get yourself a larson trap, this is what we use, they are excellent. If you speak nicely to your local keeper he will probably loan you one if you don't want to go to the expense of buying your own.

Strange reading this, we have a healthy population of Magpies, Jackdaws, Pigeons, Doves, Crows, Robins, Bluetits, Song birds etc all living round the garden, in fact we have quite a few nestlings that hang around it too.
What we don't get are the local cat population,or if they do it's a flying visit throughh, so any youngs birds that can't fly are safe, the dogs are used to them and ignore them, odd really cos they chase off the bigger birds that settle. Ingrid

Craig. bless I was joking truly . I could no more poison a bird or a mouse then I would a human , [welll maybe a human :)] just wishful thinking.
I couldent shoot them either, guess i have to leave the killing to the maggies.
Mari

Sam,
Good idea ,the larson trap works well but there are still legally requitements when using them.
Have a look in Countryman weekly or even put an advert in for a pest controller I bet you will get loads of replies.
Anyone in the Birmingham/West midlands area having Problems,drop me a line If I cant do it I know several experince guns who will.