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Index of Subjects This has been reported at bird-banding stations all over Canada. The squirrels take the birds from the nets while they are still alive. Usually all they eat is the head. The theory being they are low on minerals at this time of year when having young. There are reports in the literature of them taking prey as large as baby bunnies. ===================== ---- bdigout@seaside.ns.ca wrote: > No, but at the public gardens in Halifax years ago, I was watching > some people feed the ducks, There were pigeons and starlings getting > in on the action as well. Several herring gulls were there, and a > B.B. gull, which , as it turned out, wasn't there for the bread. He > grabbed a starling, which started screaming. He shook it for a minute > or so and beat it on the ground, then when it became limp, he > swallowed it and flew away....just there for a meal I guess... a meal > of flying rat. > > > This afternoon I happened to be looking out the window near the bird > > feeder area and noticed what I thought were two Red Squirrels > > tumbling around having a wrestling match on the ground. Then I > > noticed black and feathers?? After a couple more rolls and bounces > > the squirrel bounded away, leaving the limp body of a starling. I > > went out and had a closeup look for myself, and sure enough the bird > > was quite freshly, dead. > > > > It would appear that the squirrel pounced on the starling as it was > > eating crumbs under the suet block. Lately I have had 2 or 3 > > starlings coming to pound away at the suet block. They knock off > > chunks that fall to the ground (although I'd rather they didn't), > > then they drop down and gobble it up. On various occasions I've > > observed the squirrel will deliberately make a dash at the birds to > > run them off, but this is the first time I've seen such deadly contact. > > > > Have any of you witnessed such a squirrel-bird encounter? This is a > > first for me. > > > >
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