Gavo
Well-known member
With regard to kingfisher perches and Sparrowhawk predation.
A reference to MB's posting about the Kinfishers inability to offer itself as a tasty square meal, may be found in the AA Readers Digest Book of British birds P178.
"It's bright colouring is a defence adaptation: predators have learnt to leave the bird alone because its flesh is foul tasting"
I've seen the Sprawk take many small passerines from seed feeders but never a Kingfisher.
Mike.
I'm always dubious of things I read in books like that, books are not peer reviewed and are seldom based on scientific fact, the fact that there seems to be no papers on the subject makes me suspicious of the claim.
It's far more likely to do with it's adaptation to hunting and it's fitness. How would we know if a bird tastes foul to a predator? it does seem a bizarre claim to me.