Outdoor Ontario

Discussion => Behaviour => Topic started by: Dinusaur on June 16, 2019, 03:23:07 PM

Title: Aerial Food Transfer Between Two Peregrines
Post by: Dinusaur on June 16, 2019, 03:23:07 PM

The other day I observed something that I have never seen before - transfer of food between two adult Peregrines while in flight. Later I read that this is part and parcel of pair bonding ritual, usually the transfer of food happens from a male to female, exactly what I saw. I was standing on the Pier by the Lift Bridge in Hamilton with a group of other folks when I heard wailing overhead. I looked up to see one Peregrine chasing another one with intense vocalization. I thought one of the fledglings (there are three altogether) might be begging for food. Later I realized that it was actually the female chasing the male who was holding a prey in its talon. After a few back and forth flights, the male slowed down, the female approached from below and took the prey - talon to talon. She then took it to the chicks to feed them. Luckily I had my camera with me and managed to capture a sequence of 18 shots of the transfer that only lasted about 1.4 seconds, an amazing experience to say the least. Here's a few from that sequence of 18 shots - scroll down to see the continuity of transfer.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48074481967_e8bb9243b5_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2gfbhAK)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48074412108_f0c86fe02d_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2gfaVQh)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48074470277_0340f0fe7f_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2gfbe8c)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48074466397_0cb28edde3_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2gfbcYi)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48074401133_073867ec3e_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2gfaSz4)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48074462522_ef6af9e108_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2gfbbPu)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48074396928_63bda7896d_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2gfaRjy)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48074395063_ee6d8c733f_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2gfaQLp)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48074393478_d0a524cbc8_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2gfaQi5)

Title: Re: Aerial Food Transfer Between Two Peregrines
Post by: Ally on June 16, 2019, 05:24:25 PM

Those are amazing! I was saying today how I don't see falcons, and there you are having them doing tricks :wink: