Apologies for the poor picture, but my question is who killed this kereru? It seems to have been killed by an attack to the head. My recent observations of this kereru suggested that it was quite a nervous bird (rightly so as it turned out) and easily disturbed. The bird was on private land which is not frequented by hunters etc. I located in the Lower Hutt area.
The carcass was subsequently moved, plucked, and removed by (I am guessing) the same predator.
My first thought was a stoat or cat; but perhaps it was a harrier (I have these) or (possibly) a falcon. This is the first time I have seen this during the period I have been intensively trapping (three years).
Who could tell ? - Except its a fact of life that wherever you get live animals you inevitably get dead one as well. You said it was a nervous bird-- By that I presume agitated and not sitting fat plump and easily scared into flight ?- that unusual for Kerereu at least in my experience) and might suggests it was in poor health. If you checked the plumage you may have seen a lot of white lice - maybe.
Survival of the fittest remember is a normal part of the process.
A cat is most likely to have disturbed the carcus - Stoats normally just kill and leave.
Hi this reply will be a bit late to be of much use, but if you get another one have a look around the back of the head and neck, if it was a stoat you will find puncture wounds in the skin and probably two holes in the back of the skull, generally about 10mm apart. unfortunatly I have recovered both Kiwi and Kokako killed by stoats, if the carcass is fresh drop it inside a stoat trap/tunnel some times the stoat will come back sometimes it might be miles away
Dave
Never too late, really good to get a knowledgeable reply. From what you say, I am not convinced they were killed by stoats. Whatever killed them (two) effectively plucked them, so I am thinking the most likely culprit was a prey bird.
Thanks again, and very sorry to hear about the Kiwi and Kokako, Must be a terrible shock to discover them. I catch stoats very rarely - but I I see them occasionally on the trail cam, so I am sure they are out there.
Hi the Harrier may have got at the birds after they were dead, they always pluck, I shoot some pest birds on my property and leave them down back for the Harriers, got some good video of them plucking the birds before eating them
cheers
