Some parts of the meal can be less palatable than others.
During my simply awful experience of swapping over to a new computer over the past few days I’ve run across some interesting older images that I haven’t previously posted. This is one of them (though I have posted other images of this bird).
1/1000, f/10, ISO 400, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4l IS USM, not baited, set up or called in
Back in December of 2009 I took 184 shots over 11 minutes of this male American Kestrel as he ate a mouse (not a vole in this case) at Farmington Bay WMA. It was a very cold morning as evidenced by the frost on the post and on the background vegetation. At times of temperature stress like this it’s my belief that some raptors occasionally consume parts of their prey that they might otherwise reject when energy isn’t at such a premium and on this morning this kestrel was determined to swallow that stiff, frozen tail.
But it wasn’t easy. Based on the time stamps on my images it took him at least two minutes to get it down and keep it down after he had plucked it from the carcass (you can see where the tail had been attached to the mouse, it resembles a white letter “C”). Early in the process he swallowed it to the point that the long tail disappeared entirely down his throat but he choked on it so he brought it back up and started over from the beginning. This image was taken on the second attempt to swallow it and this time he eventually succeeded.
I like the look of determination on his face as he tries to get it down.
Ron
The expression in his face looks like consumer’s remorse, to me! Lovely shot… and I hope you and your new computer are getting along much better now.
“Consumer’s remorse” in the literal sense, Alison. Well said.
My new computer and I have reached a tentative truce. Hope it lasts.
His determination, and the necessity for it reminds me (as Mia’s post today did) that we are weather wimps. And whingers.
You’re probably right, EC.
gorgeous … yes, they have to be determined, don’t they!! bless him!!!
Thank you, Lois.
Very interesting behavioral shot. My imagination sees this guy smoking a cigarillo… Always happy to see an American Kestrel photo.
“My imagination sees this guy smoking a cigarillo…”
That brought a smile, Susan!
I LOVE your sense of humor!
Got a meal tho doesn’t look that happy about the process of eating something half frozen. Winter is tough on all. Beautiful shot.
“Winter is tough on all”
Boy, isn’t that the truth, Judy. Around here it seems to be especially hard on Barn Owls. Many of them don’t make it if it’s an unusually cold winter. Perhaps that’s why their clutch size is larger than that of most raptors.
Sad!!!
Intriguing!
Thanks, Arwen.
They’re such colorful, exquisitely, beautiful little birds! I’d have trouble swallowing that frozen tail, too…even have trouble thinking about it! Love the spikey frost crystals fringing the weathered post….and the soft, silky looking,almost milkweed fluff-like quality of the breast feathers…I wonder if this was a fresh kill if the tail had time to freeze…the carcass must be just as frozen and difficult to manage– a tough life for predator and prey…
Patty, in temps like that it takes almost no time for the tail to freeze (after the rodent is dead) because it’s so small and thin.
Sometimes kestrels cache voles and when it’s this cold it’s like trying to chip away at an ice cube when they retrieve them. I’ve actually heard “clinking” sounds as their hard bill works on the frozen vole (I’ve heard it from Merlins too).
HAHAHA! The female Kestrel I’m working with now ALWAYS horks down the tail. I need to capture some photos of that, but I’m not good at that!
Laura, They do often seem to eat the tail but this frozen one was so much work that I thought he might give up on it. Getting it down seemed to consume almost as much energy as the tail would provide…