Lesser kestrels in Italy have formed a 'truce' with their jackdaw neighbours to save energy, a study has revealed.
Researchers found that birds nesting in a mixed colony patrolled for predators less often than those living in single species sites.
The unlikely co-operation happened despite the birds' conflicting diets as jackdaws can prey on kestrel eggs.
Scientists suggest this could have important implications for the future of the birds of prey.
Up to 20,000 pairs of lesser kestrels are currently thought to exist in Europe and North Africa.
According to BirdLife International, a partnership of conservation organisations, the species suffered rapid declines after the 1950s but they have been recovering in the last three generations.
The sociable raptors roost together in trees and abandoned buildings, preying on small mammals and sometimes other birds.
Mixed roosts
Scientists from the University of Palermo, Italy and the University of Manitoba, Canada noticed the seemingly unusual mixed roosts of kestrels and jackdaws in rural buildings surrounded by cereal crops.
"Jackdaws are opportunist foragers and as such they may be potential predators of kestrel eggs," explained Daniela Campobello whose study, conducted with colleagues Maurizio Sara and James F Hare, was published in the journal Behavioral Ecology.
"The fact that lesser kestrels tolerated them as 'neighbours' triggered us to suspect that it must have been some kind of advantage."
By observing the birds and recording their calling behaviour in response to predator threats, the researchers discovered that both species benefited from the mixed 'neighbourhood'.
By Ella Davies
Reporter, BBC Nature
Read more here ...
Showing posts with label jackdaws. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jackdaws. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Mysterious bird deaths hit Sweden
Dozens of dead birds have been found lying in a residential street in Sweden, days after thousands of birds fell to their deaths in the US.
Police in the town of Falkoeping have told Swedish media that between 50 and 100 jackdaws had died.
Some are said to have been hit by cars but others have no visible injuries.
Parallels have been drawn with the mysterious death of about 3,000 red-winged blackbirds in the US state of Arkansas on New Year's Eve.
Veterinary officials told Swedish radio that the case in Falkoeping was rare although they said there could be a number of reasons such as "disease or poisoning".
Aftonbladet newspaper quoted one resident, Drilon Hulaj, who said that as he drove home late on Tuesday night the street in front of him was dotted with "hundreds of dead birds".
Mr Hulaj said he had been immediately reminded of the events in the town of Beebe, Arkansas. Scientists have said the blackbirds there may have been affected by fireworks.
There have been no reports of fireworks or storms in Falkoeping at the time
http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4348728589329576621
Police in the town of Falkoeping have told Swedish media that between 50 and 100 jackdaws had died.
Some are said to have been hit by cars but others have no visible injuries.
Parallels have been drawn with the mysterious death of about 3,000 red-winged blackbirds in the US state of Arkansas on New Year's Eve.
Veterinary officials told Swedish radio that the case in Falkoeping was rare although they said there could be a number of reasons such as "disease or poisoning".
Aftonbladet newspaper quoted one resident, Drilon Hulaj, who said that as he drove home late on Tuesday night the street in front of him was dotted with "hundreds of dead birds".
Mr Hulaj said he had been immediately reminded of the events in the town of Beebe, Arkansas. Scientists have said the blackbirds there may have been affected by fireworks.
There have been no reports of fireworks or storms in Falkoeping at the time
http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4348728589329576621
Mysterious bird deaths hit Sweden
Dozens of dead birds have been found lying in a residential street in Sweden, days after thousands of birds fell to their deaths in the US.
Police in the town of Falkoeping have told Swedish media that between 50 and 100 jackdaws had died.
Some are said to have been hit by cars but others have no visible injuries.
Parallels have been drawn with the mysterious death of about 3,000 red-winged blackbirds in the US state of Arkansas on New Year's Eve.
Veterinary officials told Swedish radio that the case in Falkoeping was rare although they said there could be a number of reasons such as "disease or poisoning".
Aftonbladet newspaper quoted one resident, Drilon Hulaj, who said that as he drove home late on Tuesday night the street in front of him was dotted with "hundreds of dead birds".
Mr Hulaj said he had been immediately reminded of the events in the town of Beebe, Arkansas. Scientists have said the blackbirds there may have been affected by fireworks.
There have been no reports of fireworks or storms in Falkoeping at the time
http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4348728589329576621
Police in the town of Falkoeping have told Swedish media that between 50 and 100 jackdaws had died.
Some are said to have been hit by cars but others have no visible injuries.
Parallels have been drawn with the mysterious death of about 3,000 red-winged blackbirds in the US state of Arkansas on New Year's Eve.
Veterinary officials told Swedish radio that the case in Falkoeping was rare although they said there could be a number of reasons such as "disease or poisoning".
Aftonbladet newspaper quoted one resident, Drilon Hulaj, who said that as he drove home late on Tuesday night the street in front of him was dotted with "hundreds of dead birds".
Mr Hulaj said he had been immediately reminded of the events in the town of Beebe, Arkansas. Scientists have said the blackbirds there may have been affected by fireworks.
There have been no reports of fireworks or storms in Falkoeping at the time
http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4348728589329576621
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