Cocky predation

[Wally1]

My good friend from Cent Vic tells me that something is predating the sulphur crest cockatoos in the Pyrenese, the range between Maryborough and Arrarat.
He has been up there recently recording the noises in the night.
He has found large quantities of cocky remains under the roosting trees.
The birds are eaten entirely, leaving some feathers and fluff as evidence.
It is certainly not a bigcat going out on the thin perching branches and it is not a little cat eating them, so what is responsible.
I do have my theories but lets hear what other people can come up with..
Wally

[Deleted]

There are not many aboreal predators that go after roosting birds, some large owls might but they would be uncommon in that area and usually have plenty of rabbits, mice and bats to feast on. We have seen roosting birds taken in the Madman's Gully area and some of these have had their wings snipped off as though by some form of slicing mechanism. Just clean wings dropped on the ground below the tree almost no feathers whatever takes them can eat a whole bird (currawongs or corellas) in just a bite.

[molloch]

If it's owls, the cocky remains are unlikely to be under the same tree they were roosting in. As Dennis said, they often drop the wings. Could be a quoll?

[Thylacoleo Gal]

Wouldn't be the, errm, "Cocky Monster", would it? ;D

Sorry .. can't help it. ;D

[mingle]

Ha Ha! I can just picture a blue furry monster up a gumtree...

"Me like, me like!"

"C is for Cocky, that's good enough for me!"

(For those of you who don't have kids and are not forced to sit through 'Sesame Street' every morning, this may explain the above humour a little better!):



(In place of "cookie", think "cocky") :-)

Cheers,

Mike.

[mingle]

Hi Wally,

On a more serious note:

If there are only feathers and fluff left under the tree, is there any blood or bones to show they were actually taken?

If not, could it be that they're just going through the annual moult (it's around this time of year, isn't it?), which is why there are feathers everywhere?

I agree that owls or any other bird of prey would be a slim chance, but unlikely. Any arboreal predator would have to return to earth to finish off the prey as it's unlikely they'd be able to scoff down an entire bird without risking the wrath of so many other angry beaks!

If this is an ongoing predation, presumably the predator visits the same tree(s) each night (unless it's set up home in the treetops). Would it be possible to put down some sand/powder around the base of the trees to record the tracks of the culprit?

A stakeout of the area under the trees would be a good idea...

Cheers,

Mike.

[youcantry]

Snake? Quoll?

[Deleted]

Snakes are pretty good at this but it is the wrong time of year for snakes to be active they won't be around for another 6-8 weeks. Snakes also do not leave feathers they swallow whole. Quolls love bird but cockies usually roost too high for them but it is probably one of my best guesses.

[youcantry]

And would a single snake take one bird after another? I'd think - especially in the cooler months - that it would take one bird, then rest for some time.

[JeffJ]

Hi Chris! Oh yeah, if a snake has room left, it will take advantage of a food source and chow down, eating till' no more will fit. My Kingsnake(lampropeltis calligaster) will eat 3 mice and be well fed, but if offered more, will eat up to six or seven, and be severely bloated. I used to breed snakes, and it's pretty much the same behavior in all of them. Especially pythons, who will eat so much that the food will interfere with breathing. Jeff

[Wally1]

Thanks for the suggestions fellas.
There are scratches from small sharp claws evident sio I recon there is a mother and son (or daughter) team evident.
Little one goes up and chomps the cockies head killing it instantly and it drops to mumma.
Mumma has her fill and some left for baby.
I recon this is the most likely.
Cocky winggs have been found but mostly in the Gramps.
Wally