Starling in rat attack!

[Booga]

Weird goings on in the garden this morning.

I was watching a starling hanging on my nut feeder, got a couple of quick snaps of it then it flew into my Jap maple at the bottom of the garden.

After shouting away it then proceeded to divebomb a rat that had started to feed on the seeds and bread on the ground.

I hate rats, had one last year, that is the price you pay for living near a stream though.

I just wondered if anyone has encountered this with starlings before?

Cheers

[Nina P]

Will, most birds have their own way of dealing with predators and the best form of defence is attack, why do crows attack buzzards and swallows martins and swifts attack kestrels hobbys and sparrowhawks? does this answer your question? A good rule is think about your own natural reactions to fear, then you understand natures way. If you are regularly plagued by rats, why not get a jack russel dog? they are great ratters and do not upset the birds.

[Booga]

Cheers Nina.

I have a border collie , he tends to bark out of the window. I had a jack russell, he lives with my mum and dad now. Jakey, would get lost for hours on end when we went for a walk, then I'd hear some muffled barking and discover him down a badger/fox hole. Often he'd come up with a cut nose from his battles. I wish he was here for the rat!

I haven't seen the rat for 2 days now, so I think it was passing through and making the most of the food source. Having said that it will probably return. I have bait boxes from last year when we had a rat so will put some bait in them.

Thanks for the reply Nina

[Screech]

While Birding in Central Park, Manhatten, New York I saw a small group of starlings feeding in the bushes, in among them were three good sized rats. The starlings did not seem bothered by their presence and as one approached a little to close it was "grabbed" by the rat without a problem, quickly dispatched and promptly ate.

One less starling and one fattened rat, a nice "catch" for the resident Red Tail Hawks who reside there, ...maybe?