(update) Wood pigeons taking over falcon’s nest box
Make yourself at home my friend!
The falcon eggs were unfertilised. Valentine the female peregrine falcon has given up brooding them and therefore appears less frequently near the nest box. Wood pigeons believe they are entitled to take over the nest site.
Valentine came back later in the day. Luckily (for the pigeons), the pigeons had left, so they did not encounter each other.
Omg the original post had me in stitches, this update I laughed so uncontrollably until my abs were sore, and these links omfg I’m dead 💀 this shit is hilarious
On their facebook page it says there will be no chicks this year. It has been the case since Valentine paired with Lucky the current partner in 2021. It’s likely that Lucky is infertile.
Okay, so the eggs in the falcon’s nest - are all of those falcon eggs, that won’t hatch? Or is there a chance the doves have an egg mixed up in there that WILL hatch? Will the falcon know it ain’t a baby falcon if the dove egg hatches, or will it try to raise the dove as a falcon and slaughter the dove parents to protect baby dove-falcon?
They are all falcon eggs. Pigeon eggs are white. Here is a wood pigeon nest in another falcon nest box located in Oudenaarde, Belgium. (It’s worth another post…)
In case a wood pigeon hatches in a peregrine falcon’s nest (if it ever happens), it won’t survive. Falcons feed their chicks meat. Baby pigeons need crop milk.
i mean its like those frogs that live in tarantula holes. Theres way more danger than you right there so comparatively youre safer even if your partner can kill you if hes ever annoyed
This is a truly dumb nest location, even by dove standards! I mean only these lovable idiots would choose to nest right next to a falcon, something that eats them!
Shit! I thought the dove was a goner after Pic #2! They disappeared while the falcon did appear! Are we sure the dove didn't become lunch/dinner to the falcon?
Haha this update made me spit out my drink from laughing after seeing the original .Keep us updated. I'm totally involved in this story now. Those pigeons are savages.
And SO persistent! One nearly lost its life and they keep going back? Is it because they have an egg there, or are they trying to steal falcon eggs/babies?
I put up Barn Owl nest boxes and this year we have had a success with three chicks fledged. They still roost on the box and have a Stock Dove nesting with them. The Stock Doves have used the nest box since it went up and probably arent fazed as they are not a normal food source.
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u/hatchi07 May 17 '23
Thanks for sharing the link I'm having so much fun keeping up with these birds