[NatureNS] Squirrel Kills Starling

From: Helene Van Doninck <hvandoninck@eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2010 21:09:56 -0300
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Hi there,

I've had people bring me birds that were "mugged" by squirrels. Sometimes
fledglings, sometimes adult birds. They are usually starlings or robins

Helene

Helene Van Doninck DVM
Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
RR#1 Brookfield Nova Scotia Canada B0N1C0
hvandoninck@eastlink.ca
www.cwrc.net
http://cwrcblog.blogspot.com/
1-902-893-0253

CWRC 2010 Calendars now for sale, see www.cwrc.net



-----Original Message-----
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca
[mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca]On Behalf Of Sherman Williams
Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2010 4:39 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: [NatureNS] Squirrel Kills Starling


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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