Birds of prey drinking water??! (1 Viewer)

[Didier Godreau]

Dear all,

can you please tell me if all the birds of prey usually drink some water?

Have you seen any birds in the wild, drinking some water?


** I have seen this thing once, a peregrine falcon drinking some water in Morocco, near the waldrapp colony, near Agadir **


many thanks for all your comments about this suject!!

Didier
:h?:

 

[Steve G]

In hot habitats such as much of Africa staking out a waterhole is a good way of getting close to raptors. The broad-winged raptors take to the air in the late morning when good thermals have formed & tend to drink in the later afternoon.
This can also be seen in warmer parts of Europe such as Spain.
Below is an image of a subadult Spanish Imperial (Adalbert's) Eagle drinking on the bank of the Rio Tajo in Extremadura.

 

[stevo]

Yes they will drink water but a lot of their fluid intake comes from the prey they take.

 

[matt green]

I once observed a marsh harrier drinking water from the edge of a lake in norfolk.The bird appared to collect water into it's beak and then tip it's head back as if to swallow,the only other wild birds I've seen drinking have been tits,finches etc.

Matt

 

[mike from ebbw]

agree with stevo.most of their fluids are taken in the meat they eat.

 

[Katy Penland]

I've seen Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, and a Bald Eagle, drink water from ponds and stream, respectively. I've also seen a Sharpie use a backyard pond for bathing. :t:

 

[talon_dfa]

Raptors do drink water, though many are well adapted to surviving in arid conditions.

They also bathe very often, even in icy water.

And just for fun...
They also "rangle" or use rangle. (I will let you look this up).

 

[mooskibaby]

I'm not to sure, but i had a sparrowhawk in my garden a few weeks back and that was sitting on the bird bath in my garden, it looked like it had been drinking. Mind you sparrowhawks are getting more popular in gardens due to more people feeding garden birds which means that the birds of prey kind of rely on it.
Anyway, to really be honest i don't no why they drink water really, maybe it's to build up strength and maybe also because they can't get a meal so need to drink until they get food again.

 

[Bubbs]

Birds of prey flying north or south on their tavels often land to drink. www.birdingisrael.com had some great photo's of such happenings but I can no longer find them on the site.

John.

 

[ColD]

Buteo's drink from a hose flowing into a half 45 gallon oil drum in the hills above our home in Crete throughout the summer

 

[Collster]

Birds of prey flying north or south on their tavels often land to drink. www.birdingisrael.com had some great photo's of such happenings but I can no longer find them on the site.

John.

Sure it was on this site there were phots of Honey Buzzard having a sip or two

 

[Bubbs]

Sure it was on this site there were phots of Honey Buzzard having a sip or two

They were on the above sight and they were brilliant, but I can no longer find the posting; have mailed them but still no reply.

the posting was called 'up close and personal'.....

John.

 

[madbirdlady]

If it's of any help, all our owls drink....although I have to say I have never seen our southern white faced doing it.

We had a rescue Spar juvenile in last year and that drank readily when given a dish of water. :eat: