Aggressive neighbor

In the photo, the falcon peregrine falcon attacks American Brown Pelican who had the imprudence to fly over his nest. In the Torrey Pines State Reserve (3-3-3329. Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve 3-3-33212.) At 3-3-333. California Peregrine falcons annually nest on the rocks off the Pacific coast. And they actively defend their territory from much larger birds - pelicans and 3-3-3333. Osp .

Peregrine Falcon attacks an American Brown Pelican. He so did not expect an attack that he rolled over in the air, and was immediately seized by the leg. Photo © Judy Champ from birdwatchingdaily.com , Torrey Pines Preserve, California, April 282019

Pelicans and ospreys are predominantly fish-eating and are not seen behind the ruin of peregrine falcons. However, there are cases when brown pelicans 3–3–355. ate eggs and chicks thin-billed guillemot , Egyptian and large white herons, and pink pelicans - chicks gannets of gannet 3-3r3212. (see video ). So the dissatisfaction of the peregrine falcons with the presence of pelicans near the nest is justified.

Peregrine Falcon attacks a brown pelican. Photo © DeeDee Gollwitzer from flickr.com , California, May 42017

Aggressive territorial behavior of peregrine falcons during the breeding season is used by other, more defenseless birds. This is especially characteristic of the tundra, where bird nests are located openly and are accessible to destroyers - Arctic foxes, gulls and 3–3–395. skuas . Nests on the territory of the peregrine falcon are arranged by geese, ducks, waders. Peregrine Falcon is an ornithophagous, that is, it feeds on birds, but birds of prey, as a rule, do not hunt near their own nest, therefore such a neighborhood is very beneficial.

Peregrine Falcon attacks the osprey. Photo © Insu Nuzzi from flickr.com , Torrey Pines Preserve, California, June 62015

For example, Red-throated Goose almost always nest in the vicinity of the peregrine falcon. His patronage is provides they are protected from arctic foxes, which in the years of low abundance are 3–3–3127. lemmings (of their main prey), bird nests (and prey on mother hens) are especially ruined. In the vicinity of the peregrine falcon nest, both single pairs and small colonies of up to several dozen pairs of geese can be located. Sometimes as the patron saint of the goose 3-3-3129. selects bony buzzard (winterbird) or white owl , nests in colonies of gulls or in small mono-species colonies, where it rarely arranges its nests separately in the tundra, without any protection.

Goose Goose is among the larger 3-3-3171. white-fronted geese . Photo © John Tymon from flickr.com

Other species nest next to the white owl. Anseriformes . During the breeding season, a pair of owls drives foxes away from its territory, making it safe several tens of meters around its nest. Owls do not usually hunt birds nesting nearby and their chicks, preferring rodents. Often around the owl a whole colony of geese, geese and 3-3-3165 is formed. gag .

White and white-fronted geese (see picture of the day A pair of white-fronted geese ) are able to repel the destroyers themselves, especially if they nest in large colonies. However, their nests are often ruined.

White geese protect their nest from the Arctic fox. Photo © Sergey Gorshkov from gorshkov-sergey.livejournal.com , Wrangel Island 2015

However, not only harmless birds seek neighborhood with an aggressive species. Aggregation of birds of prey is observed in the Arctic. The bore buzzard often chooses a territory near the peregrine falcon nests or 3-3-3203. gyrfalcon . Not letting foxes and other predators into its territory, the falcon create Favorable conditions for rodents that feed on the bony buzzard. Their numbers are becoming higher, and the buzzard can hunt directly in its breeding territory. Of course, a peregrine falcon can attack its chicks, but the abundance of food makes the winterfoot take risks.

Photo © Alex Phan with personal page Facebook photographer, California, 2019. See also interesting photos of peregrine falcons attacking pelicans, here is .

Anna Evseeva