Other Peregrine Projects > Canadian Peregrines
QC / Montréal - l'Université de Montréal - 2009-19
carly:
SGB got some good shots of a feeding. Spirit is now keeping the prey with her in the nestbox instead of taking it out. Polly was in earlier terrorizing her and she seems nervous now, she lost her balance and fell on one of the babies but it looks okay. Photos here:
http://www.peregrinefalcon-bcaw.net/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=480&p=59146#p59146
carly:
Eve has posted on BCAW the following:
Yes it was indeed very devastating to see Polly steal a chick yesterday... From what I saw she flew to the second nest with it - possibly to eat it - then Roger chased her away - she flew away with the baby then came back with nothing. She was on the tower after and the parents were not even angry with her...!!!
She also included a link to her site of the video with Polly stealing the chick. I can't watch it but go to her site if you want to see it.
carly:
Yes TPC, Eve has said she has seen Polly stealing food from her parents even though she is now capable of hunting for herself.
The Peregrine Chick:
Having a helper isn't to my knowledge a common occurrence so can't say what commonly, or rather not uncommonly happens in these situations. Carly reminded me that Polly had a foot injury last year and didn't migrate after it resolved itself. I do know that peregrines don't practice siblicide or infanticide but I can't say if Polly "knows" that this year's chicks are younger siblings (I would doubt it) and these aren't her chicks and she's very young so I don't know if she has any hormonal urges to protect chicks or what happens if she has hormonal urges and their not her chicks.
Sorry, not being much help so far ...
As to whether or not Roger and Spirit will drive her off if she goes after another chick, I can't even guess. Their protective instincts didn't compell them to drive her out of their territory before, not sure if they will now. It has taken a few years for Hope & Doorly to nest successfully in Topeka, Kansas because he kept breaking the eggs (as far as I know, no one knows if the broken eggs were viable).
I do have one question and that is if her foot injury has had an effect on her behaviour - by that I mean, is she perhaps learned to be more opportunistic about food (get it when and where she can) because of her injury. If that were the case, she could (I suppose) view the chicks could be an opportunity for food since they aren't hers and she's not a mated bird.
But all of that is purely speculation, just more questions we may or may not ever have an answer for. It will be interesting to see what Polly, Roger and Spirit do now ...
carly:
--- Quote from: sami on May 07, 2010, 22:23 ---Will Roger and/or Spirit (assuming they are aware of what Polly did) drive her away from the nest now? I'd be afraid that if she's taken one of the chicks, she'll just go after the others.
--- End quote ---
I honestly don't know what will happen or what is going on out there right now. They seem to feel that it's the males fault for not driving her out and are excusing Polly as just doing what is natural and perhaps that is the case?
We've never seen a juvenile stay on after dispersal like this - perhaps this is one of the reasons the parents chase them off when they try to come back. Maybe they know they are a danger to their new offspring...I'd be interested in TPC's commentary on this.
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