Currawong bothers Kestrel

["Philip Veerman" <>]

Yesterday afternoon on the west side of Mt Taylor I watched a male Kestrel that I first noticed from its call, perched on the dead top of a big tree. It elicited an interaction from a Pied Currawong that flew in from somewhere and the Kestrel flew off just before the PC landed on the tree. This same action continued three more times. The Kestrel made no attempt to hide where it was flying to, or to perch somewhere inconspicuous, each time choosing the dead top of a big tree between 100 and 200 metres from the previous perch. The Currawong was unhurried as in it rested each time before bothering the Kestrel again. It clearly was intentional as each move was direct and over that distance. It seemed a pretty pointless exercise though, the Kestrel simply flew on to somewhere else and the Currawong only pursued again after the Kestrel had settled. The Kestrel was eating some small black item (probably insects) when perched and in flight.

 

Philip