I found a pellet (I think a tawny owl's) containing a whole raptor foot of some kind. Do owls sometimes prey on small raptors? Or could it have been a buzzard pellet? It soaked from the weather conditions but quite fresh.
Sadly I dropped the pellet on the way home so don't have a photo!
It was c. 5cm long, dark charcoal grey but we have just had snow and a lot of rain. Found underneath a tree, contained fur and feathers also. The foot was pretty washed out white coloured, I assume from digestion?
The area is used by tawny, barn owls, buzzards, kites, kestrels and sparrowhawks for certain.
Anyone have info this kind of feeding in owls?
Thank you
I think I can recall hearing that Barn Owls and Kestrels come into conflict over territory and that Kes will steal off Barn Owls for an easy meal so a tussle ending in the death of one bird would provide for the other - food is food. Tawnys will also attack Barn Owls over territory. Buzzards or Kites might well eat another BOP if its carrion
Cin J