Interesting story, Janine.
My wife and I visited Wyperfeld NP just last week and saw something
similar at the Casuarina campground. It involed a raven, but I'm not
sure if it was Little Raven or Australian Raven as I have trouble
telling them apart without hearing their call.
We saw the single raven burst across the sky chasing a Blue Bonnet and
the raven itself was being chased by two other Blue Bonnets (perhaps the
parents?). As the birds passed the campsite the raven snatched the Blue
Bonnet out of the sky, brought it to the ground and starting pecking at
it. I think it must have killed the Blue Bonnet. Even after this the two
other Blue Bonnets chased the raven and the the raven sometimes chased
the Blue Bonnets. I think those parrots could have had a nest nearby and
the raven probably found it.
Jason
On 2017-10-23 06:00 PM, Janine Duffy wrote:
> Today I watched a prolonged chase of a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (I believe
> - it was moving fast) by two Little Ravens, near Beach Rd boat ramp at
> Western Treatment Plant. We didn't see the start, and we don't know why
> this sandpiper was chosen from a huge number of waders in the area. The
> ravens chased the sandpiper constantly for about ten minutes, sometimes
> both ravens, sometimes just one. The sandpiper weaved and dodged and
> managed to stay just ahead of the ravens until finally it dropped into
> vegetation, followed by one raven who picked it up and flew off with it.
>
> At no time did the sandpiper attempt to join other waders, and no
> defence or racket was raised by the other waders while this was
> happening. Did the ravens single this bird out because it was weak? Or
> for another reason, or do they make a random selection?
>
> On searching I have found one published report of Little Ravens preying
> on a STSandpiper at Cheetham wetlands, and another of Common Ravens
> preying on Kittiwakes in North America.
>
> Have others seen this?
>
> Janine
>
>
>
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