Hunting activity by urban Peregrine Falcons (<em>Falco peregrinus</em>) during autumn and winter in south-west Norway

Abstract

Abstract. In 2015/16 a pair of Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus frequented a 66 m high office building in a small town in south-west Norway. Using IR-flash cameras 61 days in the autumn and winter, day and night, the time of landings on the balcony cornices were recorded exactly. In total 93 hunting sorties were recorded, a majority of which took place around dawn and dusk. No less than 17 % of the hunts occurred in the dark, between dusk and dawn. In autumn, waders and thrushes made up a substantial part of their diet. During winter many corvids rest in a park near the building, and at that time the Peregrines mostly fed on Jackdaws Corvus monedula, killed by the female in coordinated hunting. Often the male landed on the cornice without prey, to eat leftovers. Artificial light probably enabled the falcons to hunt at night.

Effecten van nachtelijke verlichting op biodiversiteit: Een literatuurstudie voor beleidsondersteuning

“…Bij Slechtvalk (Falco peregrinus), een broedvogel in voornamelijk stedelijk gebied, werden positieve effecten genoteerd van kunstlicht. Zo vonden verschillende studies, onder meer in België, dat de soort jaarrond 's nachts kan jagen op vogels die aangetrokken of 'gevangen' zijn in monumentenverlichting [161][162][163][164] . In Gent werden bij een koppel slechtvalken op de Sint-Baafs kathedraal de prooisoorten bepaald, waaronder ook zeldzame soorten die 's nachts trekken als Geoorde fuut (Podiceps nigricollis), Kwartelkoning (Crex crex) en Porseleinhoen (Porzana porzana) 164 , al is het niet bekend of deze predatie een invloed heeft op populaties van deze prooisoorten.…”

Living in the concrete jungle: a review and socio-ecological perspective of urban raptor habitat quality in Europe

“…Buildings provide vantage points (or perches) from which prey can be easily spotted, while concealing raptors on the move from their targets. This element of surprise leads to significantly greater hunting success (Rutz 2004(Rutz , 2006 and is evident in the adoption of perch-hunting techniques among raptors which do not traditionally hunt this way (Kübler et al 2005;Mikula et al 2013;Time 2016). Artificial illumination can help raptors locate their prey at night, while allowing the predators to remain hidden (Negro et al 2000;Rejt 2001;Vrezec 2001;Rutz 2006;).…”

Extinct and Alive: Towards A Broader Account of Loss

“…Hacking in cities caused fledging peregrines to imprint on the concrete canyons and artificial illumination of urban areas. The resulting race of peregrines has a different diet and different hunting strategies from the original anatums (Time, 2016). There has been an anthropogenic reordering of relationships (similar to the case of the whitebark pine).…”