High-Tech Bird Watching

[knocker]

 

In 2009, Suzanne Amador Kane began studying collective animal behavior and predator-prey interactions with Haverford students working in the summer and during the academic year. Kane, an associate professor of physics who specializes in biological physics, was interested in mobbing—a phenomenon in which small birds team up to harass or even attack a much larger predator, such as a hawk. However, she realized that in order to understand the rules governing this behavior, her group first would need to investigate how raptors, such as falcons and hawks, pursue their prey.

 

http://www.haverford.edu/news/stories/78194/51

[Gray-Wolf]

Cool vids ( linked to).

 

We are lucky enough to have a growing ( now) population of Peregrines around here and I've obviously been mistaking 'mobbing' behaviours by Jackdaws?

 

I Didn't consider the Jackdaw as a prey item but obviously they are!!!

 

What I'm actually marvelling at are Peregrines hunting!

 

Seeing as they are 'stoop' hunters I guess I miss the initial attack (and successful ones!!) and only see the remaining hubbub as the Jackdaws defend themselves after a failed dive-bomb by the Peregrine?