Lab 10,979 Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Is there a reason why they dont kill the bird outright and decide to eat them when they are still alive? Or is this a trait in younger birds learning how to catch its own food?... Some of the falconry lads might be able to answer that best, but I'm it's definitely not just younger birds learning, and I think Sparrowhawks feet are designed more for catching and holding rather than puncturing and killing, therefore as soon as bigger prey is immobilised they start to eat it. Also why waste energy killing when it can eat it alive? And time spent on the ground with prey they can't lift, is time when they're most vulnerable to other predators? I've always just wondered why they do that and probably another reason i'm not to keen on them. Have they got any predators really? There very good at positioning what they've killed on tree stumps or higher vantage points. When they catch in the woods its a tell tale sign of them.... yeh, only the smaller prey gets taken to plucking perches though. (you're probably aware that it can be rewarding if you wait near one of these perches with your camera ) And when on the ground, Cats, Dogs, Foxes would all take a Spar. I've seen Peregrines take Kestrels, so I dare say they'd take Spars too, as will Gosshawks. Oh theres no doubt all these things would have a go but i'd imagine its few and far between. And less so on the hen bird.... I maybe should've said threaten rather than take, 'cos I originally meant these were probably reasons to make a Spar hurry and eat what it can before the prey's dead Get it right Kenny eh ffs................. Sorry , I should be more specific......... Threatened Taken. Alright alright no one likes a smart arse............. Does look like a cock bird though............ 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Malt 379 Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Love them birds there bloody great! i have often watched them hunting hedges and really do enjoy it.. One chased something through a gap in the hedge about 10 ft in front of me when I was walking up the lane by me with the dog last year, bloody thing made me jump out my skin! Was amazed at the agility of the thing if I'm honest. Came through the gap, swerved sharply to the right, then the left in the space of a single track road with banks and hedges on either side, and went through a farm gateway the other side of the road without appearing to slow down at all. It was all over in about a second! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lab 10,979 Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 most birds of prey will try to kill another bird of prey on sight, bigger usually killing the smaller, goshawks do kill sparrowhawks and owls, ive seen a peregrine take a kestrel from mid hover. sparrowhawks will usually pluck and break through to the brain on larger prey, they are a bird specialist with an elongated third toe. Why dont they do this everytime? I have found countless kills half eaten and had to end the birds suffering........how they are still alive god only knows with a half a breast missing or half a back section gone. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Malt 379 Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Nature's cruel Lab, never seen pictures of lions and other big cats eating things alive? They ain't got the same thought processes as we have when it comes to ethical hunting! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lab 10,979 Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Nature's cruel Lab, never seen pictures of lions and other big cats eating things alive? They ain't got the same thought processes as we have when it comes to ethical hunting! Not really mate they tend to get a throat hold and kill as quick as possible....i'm sure tigers suffocate prey as well? Hyennas seem to eat it and are not interested in the kill as well as killer whales that like to f**k about with seals before they kill them? Always makes me think why some animals/birds choose not to kill first before eating?... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
weasle 1,119 Posted October 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Yeah natures cruel,Watched a show ,a pride a lions found a young elephant they Fed on it for hours before it died One wrong decision and your dead.You just have to take it as it is. As for the gosh hawk best looking bird in the world.. If i ever get to old for running around with lurcher's thats what i would go for, think of the amount of phezzies you could kill. Whippet99 something like that 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lab 10,979 Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Yeah natures cruel,Watched a show ,a pride a lions found a young elephant they Fed on it for hours before it died One wrong decision and your dead.You just have to take it as it is. As for the gosh hawk best looking bird in the world.. If i ever get to old for running around with lurcher's thats what i would go for, think of the amount of phezzies you could kill. Whippet99 something like that You'd be a while trying to strangle that though................. Never seen a Goshawk...glad we dont have them here, one less b*****d hook beak to worry about. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kenny14 656 Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Yeah natures cruel,Watched a show ,a pride a lions found a young elephant they Fed on it for hours before it died One wrong decision and your dead.You just have to take it as it is. As for the gosh hawk best looking bird in the world.. If i ever get to old for running around with lurcher's thats what i would go for, think of the amount of phezzies you could kill. Whippet99 something like that You'd be a while trying to strangle that though................. Never seen a Goshawk...glad we dont have them here, one less b*****d hook beak to worry about. I wonder if they'd eat Buzzards ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lab 10,979 Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Yeah natures cruel,Watched a show ,a pride a lions found a young elephant they Fed on it for hours before it died One wrong decision and your dead.You just have to take it as it is. As for the gosh hawk best looking bird in the world.. If i ever get to old for running around with lurcher's thats what i would go for, think of the amount of phezzies you could kill. Whippet99 something like that You'd be a while trying to strangle that though................. Never seen a Goshawk...glad we dont have them here, one less b*****d hook beak to worry about. I wonder if they'd eat Buzzards ? They'd have plenty to eat anyway if they did!!!............ I still have some birds on the rearing field and was catching some up last week and one got out. Went for a walk a few hours later and the dog found it dead under a tree. Buzzard had it and there 14 weeks old.............Obviously it was swooping down for a mouse and collided with the pheasant and decide to eat it out of sympathy!!!.... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
weasle 1,119 Posted October 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 (edited) Never seen a wild gos my self,That can be romany`s next mission if he ever comes back from the sparrow hawk.... Edited October 2, 2012 by weasle Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kenny14 656 Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Yeah natures cruel,Watched a show ,a pride a lions found a young elephant they Fed on it for hours before it died One wrong decision and your dead.You just have to take it as it is. As for the gosh hawk best looking bird in the world.. If i ever get to old for running around with lurcher's thats what i would go for, think of the amount of phezzies you could kill. Whippet99 something like that You'd be a while trying to strangle that though................. Never seen a Goshawk...glad we dont have them here, one less b*****d hook beak to worry about. I wonder if they'd eat Buzzards ? They'd have plenty to eat anyway if they did!!!............ I still have some birds on the rearing field and was catching some up last week and one got out. Went for a walk a few hours later and the dog found it dead under a tree. Buzzard had it and there 14 weeks old.............Obviously it was swooping down for a mouse and collided with the pheasant and decide to eat it out of sympathy!!!.... Or maybe the nasty Pheasant was picking on the little Mouse, so the nice buzzard stepped in and helped, and then felt guilty so decided to eat the evidence Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lab 10,979 Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Yeah natures cruel,Watched a show ,a pride a lions found a young elephant they Fed on it for hours before it died One wrong decision and your dead.You just have to take it as it is. As for the gosh hawk best looking bird in the world.. If i ever get to old for running around with lurcher's thats what i would go for, think of the amount of phezzies you could kill. Whippet99 something like that You'd be a while trying to strangle that though................. Never seen a Goshawk...glad we dont have them here, one less b*****d hook beak to worry about. I wonder if they'd eat Buzzards ? They'd have plenty to eat anyway if they did!!!............ I still have some birds on the rearing field and was catching some up last week and one got out. Went for a walk a few hours later and the dog found it dead under a tree. Buzzard had it and there 14 weeks old.............Obviously it was swooping down for a mouse and collided with the pheasant and decide to eat it out of sympathy!!!.... Or maybe the nasty Pheasant was picking on the little Mouse, so the nice buzzard stepped in and helped, and then felt guilty so decided to eat the evidence Its defo' one of they situations anyway.......heaven forbid it would kill a pheasant. FFS it was in a field, there is an abundance of mice for it............ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kenny14 656 Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Never seen a wild gos my self,That can be romany`s next mission if he ever comes back from the sparrow hawk.... Goshawks are worse than Buzzards and Spars together when they find a release pen (which is usually about 10 mins after the Birds have gone in!) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Malt 379 Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Never seen a wild gos my self,That can be romany`s next mission if he ever comes back from the sparrow hawk.... Goshawks are worse than Buzzards and Spars together when they find a release pen (which is usually about 10 mins after the Birds have gone in!) Got Goshawks round here, you're spot on.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Wilkes 2,915 Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Nice pics weasle one of my favourite birds ,i have a musket come to the feeders nearly every day (6pm-ish) and occasionally he makes a kill (usually a sparrow).exciting to watch i must admit. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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