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Bizarre Starling behaviour (1 Viewer)

DaveN

Derwent Valley Birder
On Thursday I popped down to a local nature reserve for a few hours when I observed something quite strange. A flock of around 50 Lapwings came down and I noticed two Starlings were amongst them, the Lapwings settled down on the waters edge with the Starlings, but it was then that they started to act quite strange. Both of them kept on jumping on the backs of the Lapwings and was pecking away at them, when the Lapwing shrugged them off they just moved to the next one. This went on for about ten minutes untill a Sparrowhawk appeared and everything flew off, the Lapwings came back but without the Starlings. Anyone got any idea?

Billy Boy
 
Hi Billy,

Weird! I've never seen anything like this!

Starlings often land on sheeps' & cows' backs to look for and eat ticks, lice, etc. I've never seen them try this one a bird before, but that could perhaps be what they were doing.

Michael
 
Hello Michael,

weird isn't the word! I wish someone else would of been there with me to witness it. It did cross my mind about them looking for lice or ticks but even so, it's something i've never heard of before.

Billy Boy
 
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