[Birdtalk] Kestrel/Junco behavior

[John Morgan]

Hi,
Yesterday afternoon marked my first Winter 2007 observation of raptor activity around my backyard feeders. First, I saw the quick pass through of something unidentifiable as birds scattered. Moments later, a male American Kestrel returned and perched right outside our window on one of the deck railing posts! For reference, this post is about 12' from our window, and an 18' tall flowering pear tree is about 24' from that same window. As the Kestrel sat on his perch, a defiant male Dark-Eyed Junco sat perched nonchalantly near the top of the aforementioned pear tree. The Junco seemed unalarmed by the Kestrel's presence--was not frozen with fear.

Does this seem odd to anyone?

Pretty much guaranteed that if the same attacker was a Sharp-Shinned Hawk, all birds including the lazy Mourning Doves in a neighbor's tree would have made a quick escape. Now, given that a male A Kestrel could easily manage a Junco, I'm very puzzled at this observed defiance by this lone Junco.

Seems a lot of "dinner" birds don't take American Kestrels seriously...as if they're saying "Don't you have a mouse to catch somewhere? What're you doing here in this backyard?"

Perhaps Juncos (refer to the segment of "Over the Hedge" where Hammie is on caffeine), when in the assumed protection of a tree, think they can easily outmaneuver Kestrels?
This Kestrel's actions gave the appearance of being less-experienced at backyard strafing. Kind of embarrassing, really. Why does it seem that predators in general always return to the area of anticipated capture as if to demonstrate their disbelief that they just missed 60 birds (perhaps in hopes that one more scared bird will finally get the nerve to fly off?) and to figure out their next attack strategy. By human terms, this admission of faulty strategy would be the source of embarrassment in the event that anyone had observed the failed attempt. I suppose the Kestrel didn't know we were watching :) On snow days our windows are like one-way mirrors.

My question to the group: can't a Kestrel make an equally aggressive chase as a Sharp-Shinned? But would they? Is it true that they are not as likely to actively chase as would a sharpie? Anyone ever seen a Kestrel chase and snatch an airborn dinner?

Carma gave me the Planet Earth series for Christmas. Nice slo-mo footage of Peregrines chasing and snatching bats! Gives a real perspective on how the wings and feet work together on this most-respected Falcon.
John
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