Headless wood pigeon (1 Viewer)

[pjacobs]

Hello,

I saw a freshly killed wood pigeon near my house just outside Paris. It was headless but relatively unscathed otherwise. Are their any raptors that would decapitate a pigeon like this, and leave the rest of the kill untouched? Or is this the work of a dog or a cat? There is a forest nearby with plenty of sparrowhawks and buzzards and there are peregrines in the area as well. Obviously there also dogs and cats.

Thanks,
Peter

 

[Richard D]

I'd guess at a fox

 

[Roxybill]

Hello,

I saw a freshly killed wood pigeon near my house just outside Paris. It was headless but relatively unscathed otherwise. Are their any raptors that would decapitate a pigeon like this, and leave the rest of the kill untouched? Or is this the work of a dog or a cat? There is a forest nearby with plenty of sparrowhawks and buzzards and there are peregrines in the area as well. Obviously there also dogs and cats.

Thanks,
Peter


View attachment 1571419

Hello Peter,

I know crows do this! Maybe other corvids do too, but I now know of several times when crows have done it. It seems to me they are likely to take just the head in places where they feel likely to be disturbed. If they don't feel comfortable enough eating on the spot just the head is quickly taken. The assumption, of course, is that they're unable to carry the whole pigeon away with them.

In my experience, a peregrine or buzzard will carry its prey away with it, while a sparrowhawk tends to target the breast first and doesn't seem to care as much about being disturbed!

 

[pjacobs]

Hello Peter,

I know crows do this! Maybe other corvids do too, but I now know of several times when crows have done it. It seems to me they are likely to take just the head in places where they feel likely to be disturbed. If they don't feel comfortable enough eating on the spot just the head is quickly taken. The assumption, of course, is that they're unable to carry the whole pigeon away with them.

In my experience, a peregrine or buzzard will carry its prey away with it, while a sparrowhawk tends to target the breast first and doesn't seem to care as much about being disturbed!

Oh that's interesting. Yeah this location definitely has high foot traffic and they would have likely been disturbed.

Do Crows hunt pigeons? Or do they just eat already dead pigeons? Do they eat the head?

 

[Roxybill]

I wouldn't say they hunt them as such, it's more opportunistic. They're very good at spotting vulnerable prey. Most (if not all) corvids will kill and eat another bird if the opportunity arises, especially nestlings and young fledglings at this time of year. I've been told the brain is particularly nutritious so I guess that's why it's worth the effort to at least take the head. There may be other animals that do this, but those that can carry the whole bird away generally will (I can't think of why they wouldn't). Corvid is the most likely for me and crow is the only one I've seen doing it.

It would be interesting to hear people's opinions on whether the pigeon in your photo is a juvenile or adult.