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White-tailed deer shown to raid nests, eat eggs and baby birds, USGS reports
The Times-Picayune ^
| 3-6-15
| Todd Masson
Posted on 03/06/2015 4:21:54 PM PST by SJackson
Seeing fewer quail on your hunting lease? Maybe it's time you stop pointing the finger at coyotes, raccoons and fire ants and place the blame on your murderous herd of white-tailed deer.
Believe it or not, researchers have discovered deer will raid the happy homes of ground-nesting birds and enjoy a nice breakfast of eggs or fledglings.
Pam Pietz, a wildlife biologist at the U.S. Geological Survey's Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center in North Dakota, set up miniature video cameras that ran 24 hours a day to document the fate of grassland songbird nests, according to the USGS.
She was surprised to find deer raided as many nests as badgers, and more than weasels or red foxes.
Ah, but maybe the deer were simply eating the tasty forbs around the nest, and the baby birds just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Not likely, Pietz said. She pointed to a research project in Canada where songbirds were captured in above-ground mist nets. Wild deer walked up to the nets and gobbled up the easy prey.
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: birds; deer; omniverous; omnivores; whitetails; wildlife
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1
posted on
03/06/2015 4:21:54 PM PST
by
SJackson
To: Iowa Granny; Ladysmith; Diana in Wisconsin; JLO; sergeantdave; damncat; phantomworker; joesnuffy; ..
If youd like to be on or off this Outdoors/Rural/wildlife/hunting/hiking/backpacking/National Parks/animals list please FR mail me. And ping me is you see articles of interest.
Deer are occasional meat eaters, no surprise they eat eggs. And baby birds are cute and probably tasty, like baby deer.
2
posted on
03/06/2015 4:22:58 PM PST
by
SJackson
(“ISIS is now going to regret this … because King Abdullah is not Barack Obama, Rep. Duncan Hunter)
To: SJackson
Add me to the list, please. I’d heard of elk eating grouse eggs. Why not deer?
3
posted on
03/06/2015 4:25:06 PM PST
by
gundog
(Help us, Nairobi-Wan Kenobi...you're our only hope.)
To: SJackson
Lots of herbivores will eat meat if its easy.
4
posted on
03/06/2015 4:28:06 PM PST
by
cripplecreek
("For by wise guidance you can wage your war")
To: SJackson; humblegunner; TheOldLady
5
posted on
03/06/2015 4:29:27 PM PST
by
Darksheare
(Those who support liberal "Republicans" summarily support every action by same.)
To: SJackson
There’s a solution for this: a well-aimed gun and some deer-dressing knives. Venison for dinner!
6
posted on
03/06/2015 4:30:12 PM PST
by
VictoryGal
(Never give up, never surrender! REMEMBER NEDA)
To: cripplecreek
I once saw, and could not believe, a brown squirrel catch an English sparrow and devour it in seconds flat. The animal really enjoyed the meal.
7
posted on
03/06/2015 4:30:39 PM PST
by
Fungi
(Evolution is piece by piece over billions of years. At what point did a precursor become a human?)
To: SJackson
In the winter, deer will eat plants that are not palatable and even somewhat poisonous. No surprise here.
8
posted on
03/06/2015 4:31:03 PM PST
by
USMCPOP
(Father of LCpl. Karl Linn, KIA 1/26/2005 Al Haqlaniyah, Iraq)
To: SJackson
I read an article a long time ago that told of a woodsman who witnessed a buck deer catching and eating small trout from a mountain stream. The article referenced the White Tail Deer as having extraordinary survival capabilities. I don’t doubt this story about raiding the bird nests. Very interesting. I have never seen a deer eat anything but herbivore fare, but, anything is possible.
To: Fungi
I was watching a squirrel today try repeatedly to catch a bird. I grabbed the camera in case the bird flew off with a squirrel on its back.
10
posted on
03/06/2015 4:33:16 PM PST
by
Kirkwood
(Zombie Hunter)
To: SJackson
11
posted on
03/06/2015 4:35:59 PM PST
by
BigEdLB
(We're experienceing the rule of a Roman Emperor, Barack I)
To: SJackson
12
posted on
03/06/2015 4:36:52 PM PST
by
Daffynition
("We Are Not Descended From Fearful Men")
To: SJackson
13
posted on
03/06/2015 4:39:37 PM PST
by
McGruff
(Maybe my comments were too nuanced for you)
To: Daffynition
Is that the fish eating deer?
14
posted on
03/06/2015 4:41:24 PM PST
by
meatloaf
To: meatloaf
15
posted on
03/06/2015 4:45:43 PM PST
by
Daffynition
("We Are Not Descended From Fearful Men")
To: SJackson
16
posted on
03/06/2015 4:49:52 PM PST
by
Sybeck1
To: SJackson
To: SJackson
Well... I used to have a bunny, and I caught him raiding the cat food. It is not unheard-of for herbivores to eat the occasional meat meal.
18
posted on
03/06/2015 4:54:46 PM PST
by
exDemMom
(Current visual of the hole the US continues to dig itself into: http://www.usdebtclock.org/)
To: SJackson
No wonder Bambi’s mother was shot! Eating baby birds!
To: SJackson
That could help explain the declining numbers of pheasant here in Michigan.........
20
posted on
03/06/2015 5:00:15 PM PST
by
Hot Tabasco
(Uncle Sy: "Beavers are like Ninjas, they only come out at night and they're hard to find")
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