Posted on 05/09/2017 9:10:13 AM PDT by marktwain
Deer aren’t the slim, graceful vegans we thought they were. Scientists using field cameras have caught deer preying on nestling song birds. And it’s not just deer. Herbivores the world over may be supplementing their diets.
When researchers in North Dakota set up “nest cams” over the nests of song birds, they expected to see a lot of nestlings and eggs get taken by ground squirrels, foxes, and badgers. Squirrels hit thirteen nests, but other meat-eaters made a poor showing. Foxes and weasels only took one nest each. Know what fearsome animal out-did either of those two sleek, resourceful predators?
White-tailed deer.
These supposed herbivores placidly ate living nestlings right out of the nest. And if you’re thinking that it must be a mistake, that the deer were chewing their way through some vegetation and happened to get a mouthful of bird, think again. Up in Canada, a group of ornithologists were studying adult birds. In order to examine them closely, the researchers used “mist-nets.” These nets, usually draped between trees, are designed to trap birds or bats gently so they can be collected, studied, and released. When a herd of deer came by, they deer walked up to the struggling birds and ate them alive, right out of the nets.
(Excerpt) Read more at io9.gizmodo.com ...
so that’s how chinese restaurants get cats for their dishes- they hire deer to get them for them
well that’s one way for dogs to get ahead in life lol
Heh heh!
My Mom used to have a tiny little cat that was a great hunter. I can’t imagine how small it would have been without its long hair but it cleared our 1 acre lot and the three adjoining lots of every ground squirrel, chipmunk, gray squirrel and mole and kept it that way for years. It would lay in the grass in front of a window and wait for a bird to hit the window and nab it. If it moved it hunted it.
When elk or deer came onto the property it would get into a hunting posture and focus in on the nearest one. It never charged one but you could almost see it thinking “How am I going to do this? There’s got to be a way.”
I live on a lake. Heron Lake. And yea those bad boys go after lots of things. Seen a few eating big (Yuge) catfish right on the dock. And they like to perch on the top point of the roof and watch the lake. Next thing you know there’s this dark shadow making a quick pass down and dinner is served.
I would not like to get anywhere near THAT beak. It’s a frick’n harpoon!
How do you know they have a pterodactyl-like call? Have you heard one?
Because they taste like chicken??
Yes but are they ravenous omnivores?
I think they like steak. They made short work of a 1700 pound Longhorn we had die at the ranch.
That’s right!
But when you next go to a steak house remember there is at least some chance that your charbroiled venison was dragged down by my cat Pasha.
lol
Dittos!
I got into that show, too. Beautiful scenery, interesting characters, and a weird as heck plot.
I've only finished episode 3 of the 2nd season. So far, it's as weird and intense as the first season. Michelle Fairley plays Quaid's wife. She played Catelyn Stark in Game of Thrones, and is presently appearing in The White Princess as Henry VII's mother, Margaret Beaufort.
We wouldn’t have survived and developed in all the places we did, if we weren’t omnivores.
Yes. On Saturday morning cartoons decades ago. ;)
deer eating birds
The forest is a noisy place.
Maybe because the birds wouldn't STFU.
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