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Index of Subjects That's interesting. I did not mention that my situation today involved a mature male starling. It is still where the squirrel left it about two hours ago; it is still intact (the squirrel has made no effort to move or eat it, so far). And true, there has been no weeping over the loss of a starling, although, as far as nature goes, its life is as precious or expendable as any other living thing. Sherman On 17/04/2010, at 6:10 PM, Brian Dalzell wrote: > 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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