Pheasant joining the carnivores? (1 Viewer)

[KenM]

On my way back from Ramsgate Sunday (9th March), out of the corner of my eye (whilst driving), I noted a cock Pheasant pecking at a flattened road kill on the hard shoulder, thought this might be unusual behaviour?

Cheers

 

[Zheljko]

After hog butchering, we left out some meat scraps for magpies, but pigeons flocked around like vultures and picked much of it clean. I eyed said pigeons cautiously for quite some time afterwards.

 

[KenM]

After hog butchering, we left out some meat scraps for magpies, but pigeons flocked around like vultures and picked much of it clean. I eyed said pigeons cautiously for quite some time afterwards.

Is nothing sacred?...it seems that ''opportunism'' rules the roost. :eek!:

 

[John Cantelo]

Pheasants regularly eat small insects and other 'mini-beasts' (particularly young chicks). Hence it's quite possible the bird was eating insects attracted to the carrion According to the BWP they also rarely take small vertebrates so perhaps pecking at the corpse itself may not be too much of a stretch.

 

[LabradorDuck]

At the local zoo here, they give the pheasants a small amount of ground beef along with their grain-based diet. I assumed this was to replace the insects they'd normally be eating, but regardless it seems that they can digest it.

This doesn't apply to pheasants as far as I know, but any bird that eats suet (at least pure suet; the seeds and such might broaden the appeal) probably eats carrion when available. I know this is the case with chickadees, nuthatches, and woodpeckers; I have seen firsthand a Red-bellied Woodpecker on the ground pecking at roadkill.

 

[stonechat1]

Is nothing sacred?...it seems that ''opportunism'' rules the roost. :eek!:

Agree. In my parents chicken yard they use any chance to get on meat, most often fledlings of House Sparrows who aren´t able to fly properly. No chance for them to escape when 18 chickens are after them.

 

[John Cantelo]

Incidentally I think that the loss of weedy margins where pheasant/partridge chicks could obtain the insects they need has been linked to increasing mortality in this group.

 

[KenM]

Agree. In my parents chicken yard they use any chance to get on meat, most often fledlings of House Sparrows who aren´t able to fly properly. No chance for them to escape when 18 chickens are after them.

With pigeons, chickens and pheasants being partial to animal matter, also Great tits killing Redpolls and House Sparrows...makes you wonder if there are any more ''skeletons'' in the grain eating cupboard....?

 

[chris butterworth]

With pigeons, chickens and pheasants being partial to animal matter, also Great tits killing Redpolls and House Sparrows...makes you wonder if there are any more ''skeletons'' in the grain eating cupboard....?

"Attack of the killer Goldcrests"? :eek!:

 

[Andy Hurley]

"Attack of the killer Goldcrests"? :eek!:

And their fire breathing summer cousins.. is it safe to go out anymore?

 

[KenM]

:eat:

"Attack of the killer Goldcrests"? :eek!:

Occasional perhaps....but never of a regulus occurence

 

[Farnboro John]

I've seen a Pheasant kill a Field Vole (presumed really, I saw it whack hell out of something on the ground with its bill - I suppose the vole may have already been injured/ill) and carry it off - I have a pic of the carry somewhere, if I can find it I'll post it.

John

Edit: Found it.

 

[Nutcracker]

I've seen a Pheasant kill a Field Vole (presumed really, I saw it whack hell out of something on the ground with its bill - I suppose the vole may have already been injured/ill) and carry it off

The gamekeepers had better get out and kill off all these voracious, dangerous predators, in case they might threaten their grouse and pheasant chicks!

:-O

 

[Farnboro John]

The gamekeepers had better get out and kill off all these voracious, dangerous predators, in case they might threaten their grouse and pheasant chicks!

:-O

Capercaillies live mostly on Rabbits you know

John

 

[ChrisKten]

I'm not suggesting that this applies to any of the examples given in this thread, but bear in mind that birds aren't always doing/eating what you think they are:

Seeing many Sparrowhawk kills in my garden over the years, means I've also seen a few spooked from their meal by neighbours etc. Sometimes the Sparrowhawk flies off with what remains of it's prey (I won't go into the reasons why/why not), other times the meal is left behind. The Sparrowhawk will usually return later or the next day to finish the meal.

But this isn't about Sparrowhawks, but about Pigeons. A few times I've seen Feral Pigeons return after the Sparrowhawk has left, go to the prey (now dead), and apparently eat the flesh. However, looking closely I saw that they wasn't eating flesh at all; they was feeding on the seeds that was in the prey's crop and stomach, that was now exposed.

I can't say this any other way really; the bloody mess was just a seed container to the Pigeons.

 

[KenM]

I'm not suggesting that this applies to any of the examples given in this thread, but bear in mind that birds aren't always doing/eating what you think they are:

Seeing many Sparrowhawk kills in my garden over the years, means I've also seen a few spooked from their meal by neighbours etc. Sometimes the Sparrowhawk flies off with what remains of it's prey (I won't go into the reasons why/why not), other times the meal is left behind. The Sparrowhawk will usually return later or the next day to finish the meal.

But this isn't about Sparrowhawks, but about Pigeons. A few times I've seen Feral Pigeons return after the Sparrowhawk has left, go to the prey (now dead), and apparently eat the flesh. However, looking closely I saw that they wasn't eating flesh at all; they was feeding on the seeds that was in the prey's crop and stomach, that was now exposed.

I can't say this any other way really; the bloody mess was just a seed container to the Pigeons.

m-mmmm....Wholemeal or Volemeal?....

 

[Farnboro John]

m-mmmm....Wholemeal or Volemeal?....

Granola livia.....

John