...just saw ivy bring in a good-sized late lunch for the chicks - princess was struggling with it a little; however, it looked like it still had it's head. I thought that (aeons ago) TPC mentioned how meticulous our falcons were with removing the head of any prey before bringing it to the nest, something about a particular bacteria found in the head and neck of some prey.
Jadoo, Tracy did mention this about the heads of prey some time ago. As you may recall, our questions at that time were related to what happened at Elk River, Minnesota a few years ago when two chicks died because they became infected with Trich (I don't know the full name), which I believe is a type of worm infection that they got from a diseased pigeon head. The keepers there had to remove the other two chicks from the nestbox and treat them with some type of antibiotic in order to ensure their survival. Tracy responsed to us regarding this situation, if I recall correctly.
Good memory you guys!! When food gets brought into the nestbox, they tend to bring in just what they need to. No point in hauling in wings, head, legs, they don't have much meat on them and the chicks aren't learning how to dismember their meals yet. As for heads generally, peregrines tend to pop the heads off right up front, so you don't often see them in the nestbox until the chicks are much older if at all. Even when courting or bringing take-out home for the house-spouse, the head is generally missing.
Frounce is what it is called falcons, in pigeons its called "canker". There are other types of trichomonas, one of which is a human STD and it is generally referred to as "trich" (as I recall).
Trichomonas gallinae is a cosmopolitan parasite of pigeons and doves. The disease that the parasite causes or facilitates is called
Avian Trichomoniasis. This was all from memory but I think I have it all correct. We haven't had any peregrines with/suspected/diagnosed with frounce here in Manitoba and hopefully we never will.
Here's a bit more info that might be useful
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichomonas_gallinae http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex4444
http://hawkingharrisblog.blogspot.ca/2009/12/frounce-is-age-old-problem.html
