[Birdtalk] A kestrel at the feeders

[John Morgan]

Eric,
Last Winter I came home one late afternoon to find a Kestrel dining on a Mourning Dove in my back yard. I can't verify that the Kestrel made the kill, or whether it was finishing someone else's job. I've also watched a Kestrel/Starling combination tumble out of the sky following an attack on the high wires supporting a radio tower. The Starling got away as the Kestrel braced for impact with the ground.

I'd say your birds are stupid (as you suggest :) I would also say that if a Kestrel came in at attack speed, it could take whatever it wanted from among the scattering flock. I've watched Kestrels attacking a Red-Tailed hawk, and their aerobatics are truly amazing. Only caveat would be if the Kestrel was a first-year hunter and still learning. A large mature female Kestrel can appear the same size as a Sharpie (note I said "can").
John
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Eric Huish 
  To: bird talk 
  Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2007 5:44 PM
  Subject: [Birdtalk] A kestrel at the feeders


   
  A kestrel often sits atop a tall tree in the neighbors yard looking down on my bird feeders. It watches the birds feeding on the seed I spread on our dirt driveway.  The birds don't seem to care.  But as soon as a Sharp-shined Hawk is visible in the distance the birds disappear at the speed of lightning.  Diving into bushes, screaming as they flee for their lives.  Yesterday I saw the kestrel come diving down at the tray feeder in the side yard.  He came in fast like a falcon but the juncos and finches just kind of moved out of the way.  It didn't look like they wanted to go far from their precious feeder.  When the scrub-jays come in they get more respect than the kestrel.  Are jays more dangerous than kestrels?    Can kestrels not catch a songbird? Do I just have a yard full of stupid birds? This doesn't make sense to me.  This time of year with this much snow I would assume a big part of a kestrel's diet would have to be birds. (I haven't seen many grasshoppers around.)  My only thought is that the birds know they can outmaneuver a kestrel.  Can they tell the difference between a kestrel and a merlin or a sharpie?  
   
  This evening I saw the kestrel chase down the sharp-shin until the sharpie dropped the bird it had caught.  The still-alive bird flew off with the Kestrel in hot pursuit.  I didn't see the outcome.


  Eric Huish 
  Pleasant Grove UT 
  poorwill_ at hotmail.com 


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