This kind of thing was quite common at Macarthur House at Lyneham when I was stationed there on the 7th floor about 10 years ago. Spectacular views
of Peregrines taking Feral Pigeons in mid-air were also seen. You could sometimes tell when a hunting bird had been successful by the plucked (pigeon) feathers swirling outside the windows on the up-drafts. Personally I can’t say whether this still happens
there now, but I expect it does. There are plenty of prey still there.
Ian Baird
From: Philip Veerman [
Sent: Friday, 1 April 2016 5:32 PM
To: 'Stephanie Haygarth'; 'COG List'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Out of area - Perth peregrine
Well I can’t advise but suggest most likely is pigeon (as in Rock Dove - Feral Pigeon). A main prey of city Peregrines around the world. The head and tail are
gone. The one leg showing seems a bit long but that could have been stretched out or just looks like that because of the missing tail. What other greyish bird of that size is likely there? Too grey underneath to be a Silver Gull and doesn’t have red legs and
the plucked primary is plain grey without the black & white tip of a Silver Gull.
Philip
From: Stephanie Haygarth
Sent: Friday, 1 April 2016 4:45 PM
To: COG List
Subject: [canberrabirds] Out of area - Perth peregrine
A family member sent us these photos yesterday from his office window in Perth. Lovely to have such an intimate view of a peregrine going about her(?) business. I've cropped them for this email so they're a bit pixelated, sorry.
Can anyone advise what the prey item is?
Steph H
