Diet of Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) in relation to temporal and spatial variation in racing pigeon availability in Wales

• Published in: Ornis Hungarica
• Main Authors: Dixon, Andrew, Richards, Colin, King, Andrew
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Walter de Gruyter GmbH 2018
• Subjects: Falco peregrinus
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/orhu-2018-0028; https://content.sciendo.com/view/journals/orhu/26/2/article-p188.xml; https://www.sciendo.com/article/10.1515/orhu-2018-0028

Abstract The relative frequency of Common Pigeons Columba livia in the diet of Peregrine Falcons differed across three areas of south-central Wales in line with racing pigeon availability. Peregrines exhibited a functional response to spatial and temporal availability of racing pigeons. During the pigeon-racing season (April–September), pigeons comprised 63% of kills in South Wales where pigeons were most available, 43% in the Brecon Beacons with intermediate availability and 30% in Central Wales, where availability was lowest. The corresponding values outside the pigeon-racing season were 18%, 6% and 5% respectively. We estimate that 92% of pigeons killed by Peregrines were racing pigeons, 7% were feral pigeons and the remainder were other domestic pigeon varieties.