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CBoo · 06-24-2014, 03:51 PM

Heads-up if you are heading to Bastrop lake in Texas. They have a large congregation of buzzards on the North Shore and those birds have an appetite for rubber. Windshield wipers, foam seals, rubber roofs, etc.

Who knew?

The park did post a sign warning about the birds, but the nice park host said with folks out and about we should be OK...it's only if you leave your vehicle for days with no activity that they bother anything.

So. Not. True.

We were gone for an afternoon and returned to find holes in our roof and the slide-out seal demolished (see pics below). I think they'd have left the roof alone if the slide hadn't tempted them with its foam rubbery goodness.

So, word to the wise: put your slides in if you are in a buzzard habitat. And next time you look up and see 'em circling, don't assume it's roadkill. It could be a tasty RV they are eyeballing.

EDIT: On the silver lining front, insurance is going to cover the repairs.

Brian W · 06-24-2014, 04:50 PM

Great, now I have to add roof eating Buzzards to my list of things to watch out for. If you had not posted pictures I would have thought your post was a joke. Glad to hear insurance is picking up the tab.

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macantic · 06-24-2014, 04:55 PM

I'm glad they didn't your tires too. They look like giant chocolate donuts.

ChallengerRN · 06-24-2014, 05:05 PM

I wonder how long it would take them to "total" an RV. I might head that way & get insurance to buy me another one. Lol

To be serious that a bad deal!!

Russell

Selah · 06-24-2014, 05:38 PM

I have heard the had some trouble with buzzards in the Everglades doing the same thing. Great, one more thing to worry about.
Guess I'll have to put my dogs up on the roof if I go down there.

Bamaman · 06-24-2014, 06:06 PM

They're bad at some of the state parks in the Mid South.

Buzzards love to eat the rubber trim around windshields and windshield wipers at the boat ramps.

And when they're feasting, they're also scratching the vehicle hoods with their claws--very expensive repairs.

We often have a big blue heron sitting on our boathouse watching for fish to catch--making a mess. When the wildlife police was asked what to do, he said get a shotgun and shoot'em. Maybe some buzzards need to be dispatched.

Elf111 · 06-24-2014, 06:37 PM

If you do I hope you have a good bank account and lawyer they are federally protected.

**TonyDi** · 06-24-2014, 07:13 PM

Wow!! I thought that my dog eating my homework when I was young was a big deal.

Fred1609 · 06-24-2014, 10:14 PM

That's unbelievable....What is it about rubber that is so tasty?

CBoo · 06-25-2014, 06:40 AM

I had no idea either. So, I'm posting this to warn you all. I've never given buzzards a second thought, but I will in the future...at least in Bastrop.

Yesterday my husband was telling his co-workers what happened and one fellow told my husband that he'd been out to Bastrop to fish (it's a great Bass lake) in 100+ degree weather and had left his truck windows cracked. Maybe the hot weather makes the rubber seals give off more rubber smell, but the buzzards not only took off the window foam stripping, but noticed the loaf of bread he'd left inside the truck. They ended up breaking the window and two buzzards got in-- but couldn't figure out how to get out. They completely trashed the inside of his truck, taking the seats down to the spring wires.

We were there for a few days, and while I did see them attacking a trash bag left out by some tent campers, they were still wary of humans and would fly away if you got within 20 feet or so of them. It was very eerie to see 100+ buzzards in the camp site. They came in the mornings. Huge groups that landed everywhere...inside BBQ grills, on picnic tables, filled the tops of the trees, perched on the trash cans (special heavy-lidded ones) and picked at the thick plastic trash bags. They are silent birds, and represent death to me, so it was just kind of a spooky sight each morning.

LeeRevell · 06-25-2014, 07:56 AM

Holy Moly! I've heard of squirrels and rabbits liking rubber. Now we got to get a "Buzzard Rider" on our vehicle insurance......?

Actually I watched a nature show once showing a bunch of parakeet-like birds in Australia - a flock would descend like unholy locusts on a car and tear the wipers, window chrome, door rubber, radio antennas, etc right off the car. People watching were shocked! Critters can be so destructive!