The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Smallholding => Wildlife => Topic started by: goosepimple on January 15, 2013, 07:50:25 pm

Title: Snow and wildlife
Post by: goosepimple on January 15, 2013, 07:50:25 pm
Got a little kestrel yesterday falling about yesterday and it got stuck in the mud, picked it up - as light as a piece of paper - put it in a quiet dark spot with hay bed and no fussing and called the sspca who came quickly but it had died poor wee thing.  :-\
 
Remember birds of prey find it difficult to find food when it snows and we were once told when we found a starved barn owl in our granary that it's good to put out cat or dog food where they can see it but you won't attract rats (so high up) and it helps them from starving.
Title: Re: Snow and wildlife
Post by: Anke on January 15, 2013, 08:32:00 pm
But as far as I know owls hunt by hearing their prey (usually mice) shufffling about and won't eat anything that doesn't move? That's why owls that have been raised in captivity are impossible to let out into the wild - they have never learnt to hunt???
 
Unfortunately around here anything that I would put out would be eaten by the resident (as in next doors chimney!) crows/jackdaws... They also eat a good part of my chicken food...
 
Saw an owl swooping about this morning while coming back from milking...
Title: Re: Snow and wildlife
Post by: Ina on January 15, 2013, 09:05:52 pm
It's been so mild and snow-free so far here, I doubt birds of prey would be in danger of starving just yet. But I often put out cat food - stuff that my sometimes fussy cat won't eat - and it's usually neighbourhood cats that clean it up (I think some of them are freerange, actually...) - and sometimes I see birds like blackbirds pecking at it, too!
Title: Re: Snow and wildlife
Post by: goosepimple on January 16, 2013, 12:11:31 pm
Think you're right Anke but I would imagine they might tackle anything if starving (a bit like our children).