The most distinctive trick that kestrels have is their ability to hover. It really is quite remarkable to see them stand still in mid-air, motionless over a single point as they keep a sharp watch for prey. That, however, is not the only trick in their book. It's one thing to stand still and watch, quite another to devour prey without setting foot on the ground. I've seen them do this before, but I had some pretty good views again today. Here's a kestrel with the relatively simple task of eating a bush cricket on the wing.
One of the reasons for eating in flight may be to avoid the thieving tendencies of that most familiar scavenger, the magpie. Here a pair of magpies startle a pair of kestrels.
A short while later I spotted another feasting kestrel, and this time its prey was not the relatively simple snack of a cricket but the much more substantial meal provided by a shrew. Ripping into one of these while maintaining steady flight is an altogether more challenging task, but one with which it had no trouble at all.
And just a couple of garden favourites to round things off. The badger is from last night.
And the fox (Shy Boy) from earlier this evening.
Camera note: all kestrel shots taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens. Fox and badger taken with the EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens.
derWandersmann
11 Sep 2012Now, eating in midair is a new one for me … I knew they could hover, but this is pretty extreme!
The badger looks like he's wearing a black velvet smoking jacket.
Words
11 Sep 2012dW, the eating on the wing thing is fair enough for swallows and swifts (just 'gape and catch'), but the kestrel's careful dismantling of its prey is quite remarkable.
gdare
12 Sep 2012It looks like people eating sandwich or hamburger while walking on the street :chef: 😎
SittingFox
12 Sep 2012I haven't seen that before either. Excellent behaviour shots :up: I suppose this is the kestrel's equivilent to a leopard carrying a carcass up a tree to evade hyenas!
Words
12 Sep 2012Adele, I've seen them do thing with bush crickets on a number of occasions, but the rodent was a first.
Words
12 Sep 2012Darko, true enough, but I still can't figure out how they coordinate head, hands (wings) and feet like that at the same time. They'd make great drummers!
serola
16 Sep 2012Originally posted by derWandersmann:
I do it on long flights :p :jester:
But seriously speaking, that really is awesome skill for those kestrels :hat:
Words
18 Sep 2012Originally posted by serola:
LOL! But can you wave your arms about and hold the knife and fork in your feet at the same time 😉
serola
18 Sep 2012Originally posted by Words:
No, but I can hold the plastic knife and fork in my hands and wave my feet 💡
:doh: Except there is not enough room for that in tourist class 😆
Words
22 Sep 2012Originally posted by serola:
Classy! 😀