I asked Darryl Coates, IDNR District Wildlife Biologist, to chime in on your question. Here is his response:
Well you have a pretty interesting situation. Let us begin our Wildlife CSI (Crime Scene Investigation). Let me just say that your first impression may be your best impression. Your description certainly does describe a domestic animal killing rather than a wild animal killing. So, what is the difference?
Domestic pets originated from breeds bred to hunt and kill rodents, esp. terrier breeds. Typically, when a domestic pet kills, they kill from an innate response. Once their quarry has been subdued, the carcass of the prey is abandoned. The carcass of the animal kill maybe left whole or torn in half and/or eviscerated. Check, fido or fifi, for bites and scratches. A rabbit can put up a good fight and may have gotten a few licks in before it died. Pay particular attention around the muzzle, nose, ears and collar area for bites or scratches. Check the skin for scratches and long scabs on the chest and underbelly. Look for fur or signs of blood on the chin, around the mouth, and for bits of hair between the teeth. Now I’m not blaming your pet... It could be an animal running at large. Possibly a stray cat.
On the other side of issue. Birds of Prey. Owls and Hawk. Owls are nocturnal. That means they hunt at night when everyone is asleep. Owls will use aerial antennas or power poles as resting sites while hunting. Under an owl perch site, you will find owl pellets. An owl pellet is a boulus of indigestible hair and bones that is regurgitated by the owl after digestion. Owls rarely leave behind any evidence of their prey at the kill site.
Hawks hunt during the day. Look for perch sites. Under the perch sites will be more typical bird dropping but the volume of dropping are bigger. Hence, the bigger the bird, the bigger the dropping. Hawk will perch on power poles, dead trees or the tops of tall conifers (evergreens). Hawks may leave behind a carcass. However, the carcasses is usually left whole and you will find tufts of fur or pieces of skin and fur scattered around the carcass. Hawk do not like to eat fur, skin, or bones. The rabbit’s neck will be dislocated or broken and the chest cavity will be punctured will talon marks.
The main things to remember...When wildlife kill, they kill to eat. and Make sure your pets get their annual vaccinations to keep them healthy.
