The Death of a Brave Bird
It was quite unbelievable that a lively bird could have met a sudden death in the hands of a Long-tailed shrike.
It was long established that any healthy bird is well equipped with survival skills, including evasive means to avoid the attack of a raptor. From all observation shrikes eat insects mainly, if I am not mistaken.
Anyhow, raptors only successively capture weakened or crippled birds because of the latters' age or weakened considtion like on the moment of reaching land, being ill or in great hunger.
The bird in question - a strong looking male Naumman's thrush - which until this morning had been feeding well in its new found wintering habitat - was found dead, possibly for the following conditions.
Either it had taken ill or sudden change of body condition. From the people present, I learned that there's been heavy baiting by human hands.
I now raise the following question. If improper feeding has induced in the thrush a weakened body that it could not resist a much smaller bird's attack, what is the feeding for?
Do we just enjoy by leaving to us and in possession of some good photographic images of the bird, or do we want it to remain properly strong so that it can return to its breeding ground to reporduce, reuslting in more of its
to be seen and enjoyed by us humans?
We possess thinking power to get what we want as well as adjust or correct our means, attitude and behaviour.
With a leaden heart I write the report. I now stop and mourn its death.
S L Tai
[ Last edited by tsheunglai at 30/12/2012 19:31 ]
