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Hi Birders,
I was interested in David Webber's description of a
Channel-billed Cuckoo chasing and attacking a Peregrine. While I have not
experienced that behaviour before with Channel-bills, it is not beyond the realm
of possibility that a Peregrine might prey upon a juvenile Channel-bill ( I have
come across a Peregrine feeding on a freshly killed (still warm) Little Pied
Cormorant which would be of similar size). At this time of the year, adult
Channel-bills make contact with their offspring and possibly/probably depart
north with them, and it could well be that an adult Channel-bill was taking
either precautionary action to protect its young or it is possible that the
Peregrine had already made an attack on a young bird and the adult was
retaliating!!
Most Channel-bills have already departed northwards
from NSW by now, so the observation is a late date!
Alan Morris
NSWFOC Records Officer
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