Other Peregrine Projects > European Peregrines
Netherlands / De Mortel - 2015 / Pa & Miep-VieVie
The Peregrine Chick:
--- Quote from: Alison on April 28, 2015, 11:33 ---I don't know if the pic with One Ring in the box alone with chick/chicks is one which I posted around April 23. If so, I saw him actually kick the tiny chick, intentionally or otherwise. Fortunately the little one was okay, but I would not trust One Ring.
--- End quote ---
Peregrines are clumsy, big feet and all that, my thought is likely unintentional. Even experienced females getting off chicks can step on them or knock them out/over.
As for trusting 1R, most everyone watches this site more than I do, but I will try to find some time to get a look at the adults behaviour with each other and the chicks. Remember, infanticide and siblicide is not a peregrine trait - one of the reasons we are able to foster chicks in wild nests with such wonderful success. T-Rex raised two sets of chicks that weren't his own - one group was a box full of captive-bred chicks being hack released, another was a full nest of his father's young and he fostered 1 or 2 nests that included young of his own and unrelated foster chicks that came in at banding age. Doesn't mean bad things don't occasionally happen, but they are very isolated incidences and not something we should be expecting or even considering to likely happen.
Alison:
--- Quote from: The Peregrine Chick on April 24, 2015, 13:21 ---According to the research, the chances of a female managing to keep chicks this young fed and warm is statistically impossible. I've seen the nestsite location and it takes time to hunt, catch (remember falcons like all predators miss more than they catch) and prep a meal for transport and feeding. All of which is time taken away from the chicks who at this stage are defenseless and unable to thermoregulate. Average hunting success rate is about 23% (23 out of 100 hunts are successful) - for resident pairs on their breeding territories in the breeding season (i.e., when they are motivated to hunt successfully) it is a bit better than that (39%). But that still means that they miss half the time under ideal conditions - a female on her own trying to provide food for herself and her chicks as well as all her other duties and personal needs is fighting a battle she likely can't win. If the chicks were older, she would need to hunt for bigger appetites but they wouldn't need her at the nest so much.
Interestingly a raptor scientist in the US was just asking if anyone has any reports of lone parents being able to successfully raise chicks - so far I don't think he has received any affirmative reports.
--- End quote ---
I think I may argue with the statistics on this kind of situation. I have seen an instance of a female peregrine raising her chicks alone after her mate was injured during incubation.
I have also seen a case where a female, who did have a mate who did not contribute, incubated, brooded, hunted, fed and raised her four chicks on her own.
And I can think of a number of cases in which a peregrine (male or female) has continued to raise chicks after the loss of, or injury to, their mate.
Depends on what the criteria are, perhaps.
Oddly, the same question was posed on the Norwich site the other day via Twitter.
Alison:
--- Quote from: The Peregrine Chick on April 28, 2015, 09:01 ---Another day closer to the 10 day mark - that's a good thing. And the first of the chicks is almost a week old, youngest is 4 days old, that's another hopeful sign - Princess lost her first a couple of years ago because she wouldn't get off it when it rained and I think just didn't get enough food in the beginning. I could be wrong and it was wet/cold that got it but both are a problem when they are so young. These tots have made it this far, few more days and they are over a really big hurdle and Miep-VieVie is able to shift focus. Another good sign is that 1R has been in the box alone with the chicks (picture shortly after early hatches last week) and didn't seem to be aggressive towards them - just interested in the food. When Miep-VieVie doesn't have to stay with the chicks she can be more assertive with him about stealing because she can leave the chicks alone for longer without harm.
--- End quote ---
Many thanks for all the info in your posts, TPC. It is always really useful info.
I am continuing to hope that Miep-VV can get through this very difficult situation. It is good that she is extremely experienced at raising chicks, and also very tenacious.
I don't know if the pic with One Ring in the box alone with chick/chicks is one which I posted around April 23. If so, I saw him actually kick the tiny chick, intentionally or otherwise. Fortunately the little one was okay, but I would not trust One Ring.
allikat:
Yes, it's strange, but good.
1R watches Miep/VV feed the chicks as though he's interested - but most likely, as I wrote before, just interested in the leftovers.
He shows zero aggression to them - so, as TPC wrote, once this chicks can thermoregulate, hopefully things will turn around, and maybe Miep/VV will give 1R a boot to the head. ::)
susha:
I see four chicks now - and they seem more the same size now. Must've been the camera angle before.
Thanks for your re-assuring posts, TPC. 1R is most definitely not showing any aggression towards the little ones, just greediness for their food! Fingers are crossed for a happy outcome.
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