A team of researchers from Rabat has just reported a fascinating discovery, one of those that would break the schemes of many experts on raptors. It is possible that a hawk is storing live birds to feed its chickens, in a way reminiscent of our own customs.
The discovery was made in 2014 on the island of Mogador . The name of the island has its origin in the old name of the beautiful port city that connects it with the mainland, now called Essaouira and that will be recognized by fans of the Game of Thrones series. It is a small area of only three kilometers long and very close to the coast of Morocco. As is to be expected in an island of its characteristics and location, it is a very important point for migratory birds; That is why it is protected as a nature reserve and can only be visited with prior permission.
The real protagonist of this discovery nests in Mogador, Eleanora’s hawk. It is a medium-sized raptor, with a slim silhouette and extremely agile flight. It needs to fly very well to feed itself, as its main prey (but not the only one) are insects . Anyone who enjoys watching the swifts fly with the arrival of summer will already have an idea of how this hawk moves.
Eleanora’s hawks ( Falco eleonorae ) take advantage of the passage of other migratory birds to lay their eggs. In Mogador, the hawks are born at the beginning of August and near the end of September they can already fly. During this time a great migration of birds flies from the Iberian Peninsula to the south and, it is no coincidence , the falcons take advantage of this season to feed their chicks almost exclusively with migratory birds.
The find in Mogador
Ornithologist Abdeljebbar Qninba and his team were conducting a study on the small island when they discovered something that was strange to them: there were small migratory birds trapped in the hollows of the rocks. The surprise came when they discovered that they were missing tail and wing feathers, very important feathers for flight. It was then that Qninba understood what he had found. Those trapped and visibly altered birds were part of Eleanora’s hawk strategy, they were using them as a pantry!
The small migratory birds appeared to be being housed by the hawks; in this way they have fresh food for days for their young. It is even possible that hawks, taking advantage of the weakness of their prey, teach their young to kill for food. This is the first time that a behavior like this has been observed in raptors, which would involve cognitive abilities that many would consider impossible in a raptor.
Of course, the discovery still requires a lot of research to be fully verified. Eleanora’s hawks tend to accumulate prey (often mutilated) near nests to feed their young over time. Some researchers believe that the trapped birds could only be prey that have tried to flee without success due to their injuries. But if the Rabat team is right, we would be facing a unique discovery among raptors.
The discovery has been published in the French scientific journal Alauda.
The news has been covered by NewScientist in their January 2016 issue.
Antonio J. Osuna Mascaró (@Biotay). He is a doctor in biology and a popularizer on various science blogs and websites (eg www.biotay.blogspot.com.es). Master in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology and PhD in Paleontology. He is currently in the US collaborating with a primatology group at the University of Georgia (Athens).
