Three owlets in tree stump nest ...

Web camera image recorded by Maggy, LK forum
Translation: Liis
 
A cruel thing for viewers to witness but let us remember that cainism and cannibalism occur with many raptors, mostly caused by food shortage: the larger siblings in a clutch, and similarly the parents, can devour smaller nestlings, and this is in their genes. Cannibalsim has occurred in nature for millions of years, and has proved rational with respect to the preservation of the species by way of the stronger individuals and use of limited food resources. The term and moral concept was given by humans only as recently as some thousand years ago.
 
The parents no longer feed the owlets as the owlets and their food need grow. Prey is dropped into the nest stump, and off on a new hunt. The prey goes to the strongest or fastest – we have all seen such internal strength contests during the last few weeks.
 
Nest life lasts around four weeks for the owlets (the first chick was hatched on April 14th), so in the next few days perhaps the owlets begin to leave the nest and they can do so in daytime too. None will return to the nest stump for the night.
 
Events have been observed in detail by the forum: LINK
 
 


 

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