<
https://theconversation.com/how-covid-lockdowns-triggered-changes-in-peregrine-falcon-diets-and-what-this-means-for-urban-pest-control-201396>
"Many people saw their eating habits change during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Some
ate more frequently or experimented with healthier recipes. Others ordered more
deliveries.
But human diets weren’t the only ones to change. In a recent study, we found
that lockdown triggered changes in the diets of London’s peregrine falcons.
London is home to as many as 30 breeding pairs of peregrines (one of the
world’s largest urban populations).
The emergence of high-definition web cameras now means that scientists can
record every bit of food that peregrines feed to their young. Our team of 50
citizen scientists analysed live stream footage from peregrine nests across 27
English cities to determine what the birds were eating. We observed the nests
throughout the 2020-2022 breeding seasons, allowing us to track the changes to
their diets that occurred during and outside of lockdown periods.
In London, peregrines ate a lower proportion of feral pigeons (-15%) during the
lockdowns. Instead, they caught more starlings (+7%) and ring-necked parakeets
(+3%).
Peregrine falcons depend on prey animals like pigeons for food. But, as pigeon
populations themselves are contingent on humans, peregrines are vulnerable to
changes in human activities. Our results demonstrate that humans are a key, but
underappreciated, part of the ecology of urban environments."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
