Peregrines and corvids?

[razorsharp]

When I read about peregrines, I usually read, that when prey is described, birds like "waders, pigeons and wildfowl". I know they dine on corvids from time to time but I rarely here this. Are crows too much of a nuisance to attack or do peregrines just like eating other birds? I mean they must be easier than a 60 mile per hour pigeon.

Has anyone seen a peregrine kill a corvid or does anyone know are they a common prey or does it depend on region etc? I can't really go anywhere without seeing some kind of crow species on the farm, at the seaside, in towns- there is always bound to be a crow of some kind.

Anyone know anything about it?

[gareth_blockley]

To be honest i think Peregrines could eat just about what they like (as long as they can tackle it) and waders, pigeons, ducks etc are common and in large numbers so are easy pickings. A study into the diet of a Pair in derbyshire on the Cathedral showed they ate all sorts, even hunting at night and taking an SEO!!!

Gareth

[razorsharp]

Short-eared owl? Well I heard that they even kill adult hen harriers!

[Cudyll Bach]

I think the Wales Raptor Study Group has found remains of around 80 different species of bird that have been preyed upon by Peregrines including Heron.

[jerkin]

Rooks and jackdaws don't pose a problem for Peregrines but Carrion Crows can. They will gang up on a falcon that caught one of their own and have been known to drive of the Falcon and rescue a mate or even fatally injur the Falcon.Corvids are also less nutritious than pigeon or waders which they find very palatable

[charlierocky]

For those of you that are not aware I am privilidged to work where a pair of Peregrines are in residence. Yesterday afternoon I was able to watch the pair of Peregrines give chase to a flock of several hundred starlings that have taken to roosting on site, quite a spectackle. In the past I have found remains of Oyster catcher, wood cock, but mostly Pigeon and never a corvid of any kind. I have been able to witness the Peregrines give chase to corvids but this seems to occur during nesting time when chicks are present, which I have taken to be more of a safety attack to clear the area before the chicks fledge, in my experience these chases never resulted in a kill.

[razorsharp]

Rooks and jackdaws don't pose a problem for Peregrines but Carrion Crows can. They will gang up on a falcon that caught one of their own and have been known to drive of the Falcon and rescue a mate or even fatally injur the Falcon.Corvids are also less nutritious than pigeon or waders which they find very palatable


It seems unusual that peregrines rarely feed on them. I mean I have seen sparrowhawks on video, taking magpie and jackdaw, and even goshawk taking hooded crow. I wonder why they are less nutritious to peregrines, stonger stomach acids or something?

[razorsharp]

For those of you that are not aware I am privilidged to work where a pair of Peregrines are in residence. Yesterday afternoon I was able to watch the pair of Peregrines give chase to a flock of several hundred starlings that have taken to roosting on site, quite a spectackle. In the past I have found remains of Oyster catcher, wood cock, but mostly Pigeon and never a corvid of any kind. I have been able to witness the Peregrines give chase to corvids but this seems to occur during nesting time when chicks are present, which I have taken to be more of a safety attack to clear the area before the chicks fledge, in my experience these chases never resulted in a kill.

Lucky you, that must have been anawsome sight, a peregrine chasing a starling flock! And you have found no remains of corvids in the prey remains? It seems unusual that birds that are so abundant just don't really appeal to peregrines. I read that waterbirds have more fat on them then other birds so maybe that is why peregrines like to eat them-more nutritous. Maybe pigeons just taste nice and crows don't.

[Cudyll Bach]

Just found this info on the Birds Of Britain website...

"Peregrines will hunt a wide range of birds. In fact well over a hundred species have been recorded in this country, ranging in size from goldcrest to grey heron and including geese. In northern Europe, mammals are also taken: rabbits, young hares, squirrel, voles and bats. In this country prey is drawn mainly from the selection occurring locally and within a short distance of the nesting place. In coastal areas, for example, puffins, rock doves, fulmars and guillemots are most favoured items of diet."

http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird-guide/peregrine.asp

[bobwoodcock]

Because of the big flock of Rock Doves(proper wild ones) I have on my patch the local peregrines don't seem to bother with anything else even though I have a large number of various waders on the marsh,I was expecting them to eat some of the huge number of Collared doves in the area.

[mrcolin2u]

razorsharp Short-eared owl? Well I heard that they even kill adult hen harriers!

Earlier this year I witnessed a Hen(Northern)Harrier chase off a peregrine and steal its kill.

[razorsharp]

Maybe the hen harrier was a large female and the peregrine was a small male???
I would say when a hen harrier is killed by a peregrine it is probably the bulkier female that is the culprit.

[mrcolin2u]

Maybe the hen harrier was a large female and the peregrine was a small male???
Quite possible.

[barontan2418]

I've witnessed a juvenile female Hen harrier take a full an adult female Peregrine off a fence post which was just too close to the harriers breeding territory. The Peregrine hit the deck and flew off bewildered and the harrier went into a display flight. The Peregrines prowess is in it's hunting technique and given the right circumstances i.e. out of the sun at high speed, there's not too many species in the UK that it couldn't take out.

[Himalaya]

i dont see why a peregrine would not eat a corvid although i did nt think there would be prefered species for them. i thought prey wouldbe prey.

[DEREK.C.]

A pair of Peregrines over my way nested in close proximity to dozens of Jackdaws and didnt bother them at all, until the summer downpours started. The Peregrines obviously began to get desperate and started knocking off Jackdaws , young and old.

[Steve G]

Corvids are not averse to a bit of Peregrine bashing especially when there is safety in numbers.

[Himalaya]

did nt the jackdaws do anything about this? peregrines and ravens also nest in close proximity to each other - they fight but rarely end in death. in fact one of the park rangers told me that peregrines may occasionally take ravens fledglings.

A pair of Peregrines over my way nested in close proximity to dozens of Jackdaws and didnt bother them at all, until the summer downpours started. The Peregrines obviously began to get desperate and started knocking off Jackdaws , young and old.

[razorsharp]

Nice pics steve but I wonder if peregrines really think of rooks as a tasty meal??

I have seen rooks mob, sparrowhawks, kestrel, buzzards, ravens, herons-they are fearless. (Although when I see a couple of rooks mobbing a tiny male sparrowhawk,i think it is a little bit one sided)

[jerkin]

Seen a Merlin years ago flying down the Coquet Valley,persued by 4 or 5 Carrion Crows, the Merlin turned sharp and through up above the Crows now having the advantage of height it stooped striking or almost striking one screaming defiantly at them they turned-tail and fled up the Valley

[Himalaya]

how would a tiny male sparrowhawk defend itself against a rook gang? the mobbers always appear not to get too close - why i that?

surely fearless would be is a single rook would mob a similar sized bird of prey alone and not n a group?


Nice pics steve but I wonder if peregrines really think of rooks as a tasty meal??

I have seen rooks mob, sparrowhawks, kestrel, buzzards, ravens, herons-they are fearless. (Although when I see a couple of rooks mobbing a tiny male sparrowhawk,i think it is a little bit one sided)

[razorsharp]

how would a tiny male sparrowhawk defend itself against a rook gang? the mobbers always appear not to get too close - why i that?

surely fearless would be is a single rook would mob a similar sized bird of prey alone and not n a group?


Yes I think rooks are quite fearless, to mob something they know could potentially kill them e.g. hen peregrine or buzzard. They are fearless in some of there attacks-I mean a male sparrowhawk isn't going to do much damge to a rook-if anything it would be the other way around.

[Himalaya]

but that said corvids do not still get too close to birds of prey - carrion crows mobbing kestrels or sparrowhawks never get too near......if the hawk flinches or fights back....even 3/4 crows would almost fly back from the hawk or kestrel even if a small male.
is that too avoid the talons? what damage could a male kestrelsalons do to a carrion crow or rook?

Yes I think rooks are quite fearless, to mob something they know could potentially kill them e.g. hen peregrine or buzzard. They are fearless in some of there attacks-I mean a male sparrowhawk isn't going to do much damge to a rook-if anything it would be the other way around.

[razorsharp]

I think some people can back me up that crows do get close to birds of prey, I have seen crows, hit into birds like buzzards with their feet and beaks-the buzzard wasn't to bothered but the crow did make contact. I have to say though in some situations it is a bit unusual when it comes to mobbing. I have seen a hooded crow and a hen sparrowhawk chase one another for about twenty minutes, one minute the crow was doing the chasing, then the hawk and so on. And magpies, which are similar sized to kestrels, I have seen(from pictures) locked together in mid-air, and I have also heard from someone on this board that a magpie was mobbing a goshawk, and the goshawk grabbed it and killed it. All I am saying is that crows can be brave in their attacks to birds they know are potentially dangerous to them. But in some cases, like you said, the corvids are fleeing from the danger.(although I haven't seen a crow of any kind flying away from a raptor, they are usually flying towards it!)

[Himalaya]

would a crows beak hurt a bird of prey? buzzards generally seem relaxed when mobbed. kestrels, sparrowhawks i have seen lose their patience. i heard of 6 magpies grounding a kestrel.

a goshawk would be very dangerous to mob. do crows only mob when theyknow its safe?

[razorsharp]

I doubt they only mob when they know it's safe, a goshawk is not safe for most corvids to mob, but they do it!