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Hi All,
On 19 April at Peaceful Bay on the lower sw coast
of WA I observed a Southern Boobook that appeared to be dead or close to
death.It was being harassed by Australian Ravens
and Australian Magpies and was about seven metres above the ground in a
Peppermint Tree.
Its wings were outstretched and as its talons were
curled up and hanging in the air, the wings were holding the owl in the tree.
Its eyes were closed and it was motionless, although my sister thought she saw
one of its wings move. As the owl appeared to be dead, the ravens and magpies
soon lost interest and left the area.Convinced it was dead, I planned to return
later in the day with a long pole to remove it from the tree and inspect
it.
Imagine my surprise when upon returning the owl was
in a perfectly normal roosting upright stance and was peering down at me with
perfectly working eyes! I returned again about 30 minutes after sunset and it
had left the tree and was not seen in the tree on the following
day.
It appears this was a deliberate tactic (ie to
feign death) to stop the harassing ravens and magpies. I have never witnessed
such behaviour and was wondering if any other readers have witnessed similar
behaviour.
Best Regards
Wynton Maddeford
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