UKC

Peregrines flight display?

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llechwedd 19 Jul 2015
I was lucky enough today to watch two peregrines from the summit of Carnedd y Filiast ( Glyderau). They were moving so fast it was difficult to keep track of them both to identify them as adult. At least one seemed to be a juvenile - fully sized but plumage suggested it was a young bird.

The acrobatics and speed were phenomenal- synchronised vertical dives followed by rocketing vertically, interspersed with tumbling manoeuvres and talon clashes over a period of a minute or so.

I can't seem to find much about this behaviour by online search. Are there any peregrine afficionados on UKC who could explain what I saw? Part of me is happy to just take what I saw as one of natures' great spectacles. But I would like to know if it only happens around the time the young gain their independence..
 Brownie 19 Jul 2015
In reply to llechwedd:

Young birds of prey more than other species, tend to improve flight/hunting skills by what we would call play, they have spare time compared to seed eaters due to quality diet. I have seen Kestrels, Harriers and even Ravens do this so very likely Peregrine would do it too. Young harriers play tag with bits of moss to practice food passes, it falls slower than food.
B
In reply to llechwedd:

Peregrines will engage in this type of behaviour early in the breeding season, transferring prey between male and female, but at this time of year they will usually be training their offspring in hunting techniques. "Follow the leader" seems quite common with a parent leading the way down and around cliff faces and the fledgelings following.
 philhilo 19 Jul 2015
In reply to Brownie:

That's interesting as a good few years back I watched a family of raptors (wasn't able to identify then) play tag with something. Taking it up high dropping it for one of the others to catch it mid air and repeating over 5 or 10 minutes at least. Never realised it was common practice. Never seen it since.
llechwedd 20 Jul 2015
In reply to Ron Rees Davies:

Thanks for the replies everyone. I've often seen the aerial acrobatics of Ravens, and they can sometimes drop at quite a rate, but the Peregrines were in a league of their own. Last time I saw Peregrines displaying like this it was late August, 1996 on The Saddle in Glenshiel. Truly awesome.

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