Mai Po. 27 September 2010.
Murderer: Long-tailed Shrike
Victim: Red-necked Stint
I am sorry that this red-necked stint ended its journey in Hong Kong. I was shocked by the attacking action of the long-tailed shrike.
Author: HKBWS Vicky Time: 30/09/2010 09:39
Wow!! Great record!!! This is my first time seeing Long-tailed Shrike attacking a bird with similar size!!
The shrike only kill the stint but not eating it?? Author: james10 Time: 30/09/2010 10:47
In Hong Kong, I thought that only humans would kill each other for no reasons at all.
It seems that the local birds are learning from humans. Author: hilldog Time: 30/09/2010 13:02
There were many other birds nearby. The long-tailed shrike was scared by a little egret and left. Author: cgeoff Time: 30/09/2010 14:15
Which means that it wasn't a gratuitous attack. The shrike was planning to feed on the stint. Which is what one would expect. Difficult to think of any evolutionary advantage for killing without a motive.
GeoffC Author: HFCheung Time: 30/09/2010 14:26
Great series of photo. Photography is a great way to watch birds. Thank you very much, I learn something.
HF Cheung Author: ajohn Time: 4/10/2010 12:30
Wow! An amazing series of photos. The stint would have made a very good meal for the shrike, if it had not been scared by the egret. I seem to remember a few years ago photos of a Long-tailed Shrike attacking a Skylark in Long Valley. It seems that small birds may form part of the diet of this species, if it is able to catch them. We must remember that this is part of the cycle of nature not a senseless, unmotivated murder.
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