Buzzards/Vultures

[rickndebi]

Anyone have any trouble with buzzards or vultures tearing holes in the top off their rv. Over 2 trips I have 11 tears in my rubber roof. It's always in a corner..until this week it has always been on a slide out but now about a 6" tear on top. They also tear up the black rubber slide seals. I have already replaced 2 of them this year and they are torn them up up again. I say vultures but I cant prove it. There were some roosting close the first time and I found a feather beside my camper this time. Thoughts// ideas?

[heavynlori]

Yes .....our seasonal site has had many owners affected - more than one have had ALL the slide seals ripped off and holes in various places of the rubber roof

We only had them pick at the sealant where the front and back cap attach ....we were vigilent and caught it within a week (no rain so no leak) and we repaired with Eternabond tape - no issues since

We have slide toppers so they do not bother our rubber seals there

We even prepared for them this year by building small wooden hurdles to place on roof (we stay all year) and drilled holes in top cross piece to insert those metallic shiny pinwheels to deter them from landing ....they can’t peck if they do not land

[rickndebi]

I repaired mine with eternabond also and put dicor around the edges of the tape. I am lucky I found it this time. Just happened to see I tear in a seal I had already replaced so I crawled on top and found the damage.

[heavynlori]

Our neighbor had all 5 slide seals pulled off and a dinner plate sized hole in one of the slide roofs

This is a picture of them on top of ours last year

[heavynlori]

The campground owner got a nuisance permit from DNR and has terminated the few he was allowed ....so far no one has had any trouble yet this year ....they are still flying around the area and congregate across the river from us on rooftops and in picnic areas

[Dave Lyon]

Darn......I thought this thread was about my sister in-law

[Iwannacamp]

Originally Posted by Dave Lyon

Darn......I thought this thread was about my sister in-law

No it’s my ex

[formerFR]

While those look more like crows, than Vultures, or Turkey Vultures, or the more common BUZZARDS, they can be very annoying... and LOUD! it's a little crazy when they get to 'ca cawwing' all together!

Several years ago, in our small home town of about 2,000 people, the 'vultures' took over almost a whole square block right off the downtown area, in a neighborhood of 5 or 6 homes... resting and 'roosting' in the large pecan and oak trees, especially the DEAD limbs - they don't typically like LIVE limbs with leaves(!). It's was just amazing(or shocking!) to watch them circle overhead, hour after hour, as they slowly but surely came in for a landing in the afternoons. They made little to no noise or sounds, per se, but the shear sight of their massive presence, in the hundreds, made for some very sleepless nights, and certainly little 'outside' enjoyment.

The local DNR and Foresty Service folks told us, the city, that you could not 'destroy' them, shoot them, or otherwise get rid of them by 'force', since they were some type of 'protected' species(!).... really!!!????
So, the city invested in a Cannon BOMB, using air pressure via propane bottles, to 'pow'! them and hopefully 'scare' them from landing there for the night. It rarely worked. Probably the only thing it really did was scare the public every 30 seconds when the cannon went off. The vultures probably got used to it and didn't even pay it any mind.

They were there for months, and their 'excrement' was obvious, and dangerous, as they also started landing on the roofs of homes, one in particular was obviously their favorite. The elderly lady that lived there had little she could do to prevent it, and the public could see the 'signs' left by the vultures each night - probably doing little good toward the longevity of the asphalt shingles. These are huge, menacing 'birds'... and while maybe we are more 'scared' of them than we should be, like bats, it's 'o.k.' for them to do their job at night taking care of keeping down the mosquitoes and insects, we just don't want them 'roosting' in our homes. Vultures, I'm sure do a good 'job' at what they do, but when they are picking at your RV, or otherwise landing anywhere close to where you 'live', it's time to take some action and 'shoo' them away - though not always an easy task.

[Stevemc]

Gosh I never heard of this kind of damage from buzzards. What part of the country is this happening in?

[rickndebi]

Mine happened in Arkansas.

[valleyduo]

I seriously thought this was going to be a funny thread. It's amazing what we learn from each other on this site. I've never considered Buzzards as a threat to the RV til now. Sorry for your woes, but thanks for sharing.

[Stevemc]

We are in rural Missouri and have lots of buzzards around. I've never heard of them damaging a trailer around here but I can see how they could do lots of damage. I'll definitely be watching them now.

[CurtPutnam]

Do not know if the law allows for vultures, but I "shoot" at pigeons on my house with a slingshot and pinto or navy beans. Non-lethal and will not break windows.

[CAT-RN]

Well I can say this. If any animal is on my coach tearing it up in any way it will not be a good day for that animal. Endangered or not !! I will engage my rights. Lol. I wonder if those birds at ravins ? Used to have them tear up our snowmobiles out west to get into the storage boxes.

Russell

[GalsofEscape]

Those look like black vultures. We have them here in Maryland too, but I have never seen them on a camper. Have some hangout at the beach we camp at but they hang out in the trees around our site, makes it kinda look like they are waiting for you to kick the bucket as they stare at you.

[SecretSquirrel]

They tend to hang out at a lot of the boat ramps here in VA. People complain about them all the time. They like to eat the windshield wipers. They have some weird affection for eating rubber. They are a huge nuisance and can do a lot of damage.

[IsleDog]

Originally Posted by formerFR

The local DNR and Foresty Service folks told us, the city, that you could not 'destroy' them, shoot them, or otherwise get rid of them by 'force', since they were some type of 'protected' species(!).... really!!!????

Buzzards and Turkey Vultures are considered Raptors and are in fact protected. Usually you can work with your local DNR and have them help out or find some sort of way to keep them off the roof.

[Scrapper]

In the US, buzzards and turkey vultures are carrion eaters. They are the ones you see eating dead animals along roads and fields. Many sources of information list Birds of Prey, such as eagles, falcons, hawks, and owls as buzzards even though they are known as raptors. Buzzards and vultures are normally attracted to scent of the dead or dying. Raptors will go after living prey more often than dead, but this is not always the case when live prey is scarce. Crows and ravens will scavenge on dead animals when the opportunity arises but usually eat anything they find. Buzzards and vultures have very keen sense of smell and if they are what you see eating the seals on your rv's it could be the odors of the adhesives or rubber is attracting them.

[Maggot]

The black buzzards are killing calfs here in Kentucky. They attract the calf poke its eyes out then swarm it and kills it. Farmers are getting permits to dispatch them.


That is wild them eating camper roofs.


Wonder about setting one them owl statutes on the roof would do? Saw a commerical avout one that made ultra sonic noise and had flashing eyes.

Maggot

[FordHauler]

One small town in Ohio ended their buzzard nuisance problem in the town square by hanging a dead one they “found” by its feet in a tree. The rest got the message, appearently they are not cannibals.
Travel safe