"The story of a goshawk, a bird of prey that has advanced into the city Tokyo Japan"
This blog introduces the life of a goshawk, a wild drama that unfolded in front of the caretaker in an urban park from July 2017 to December 2018.
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As the children jumped out of their nests, the behavioral patterns of their fathers and mothers changed dramatically.
The father bird is still hunting vigorously as usual, with a tight body and shiny feathers as before breeding, but it seems that the mother goshawk has become quite tired, probably because she is tired of raising children.
A mother bird that continued to feed the children until a few days before they were still in the nest.
As the chicks grew larger and their appetite grew stronger, they might not have eaten much food themselves.
At first glance, taking care of the chicks, which seems to be easier than hunting, seems to be very difficult.
Furthermore, it seems that he was able to wear down his body and mind against the vigilance against foreign enemies such as crows.
It's not special because it's an urban area, but you can see how difficult it is for a carnivorous goshawk to raise three chicks safely.
A mother bird that was bathed frequently, probably to wash away dirt and tiredness
Perhaps to relieve fatigue, chicks began to fly around, and mother birds began to bathe frequently.
It may be because the body is wet, but it seems that the body has lost its vitality, the color is dull, and it looks very worn out.
The fact that the three children had left the nest safely made me feel less nervous and tired.
From that expression, it seems that the satisfaction of "I raised the children safely and finally my role is over!" Is oozing out.
After that, the mother bird went out somewhere and was not often seen.
I'm sure he went out for medical treatment to heal his tiredness.
The chicks can't hunt yet, so leave all the food to them.
It is the role of the father goshawk to catch the food.
Father birds, who spend their days hunting every day, have recently begun to bathe near their nests.
Since the mother bird is not nearby, it may be that she started to work as close to the children as possible just in case.
In order to feed the hungry children, the father bird caught the prey many times every day and carried it to the chicks.
It should be hunting faster for the appetizing chicks.
When he was a child, his father bird hunted more than usual, and his sense of hunting would have been sharpened.
Find a place to bathe, male
At the height of summer, the sweltering heat continues every day.
Goshawks also seemed to feel comfortable bathing in this heat, and their father birds also bathed frequently.
The photo above is looking for a bathing place and flying low over the river.
Even at such a moment, I am always nervous about whether there is any prey that is off guard.
With his sharp eyes, I feel the urge to catch the prey immediately at any moment.
The little birds caught in such a spirited eye will flinch and freeze their bodies.
I think that is the reason why many species of birds of prey have bright primary colors.
Take a chance and succeed in hunting the opponent who is flirting with your eyes!
Children who haven't hunted yet, their eyes are still whitish.
Father bird who found the right place to bathe
Goshawk dad who found the right place.
I've been soaking my stomach in water for a while to cool my body, which looks very comfortable.
After soaking his belly in water for a while, he began to bathe his wings in earnest.
The body must have been quite hot in this intense heat.
Father bird who cleansed his body with whole body water under the scorching sun
After bathing, head to the hills of the grove.
On the hills, the feathers are dried while caring for the feathers, which is important for goshawks and birds.
Using his beak, he carefully arranged the feathers one by one over time.
After finishing the feather care, the father bird immediately went to the next hunt.
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to be continued
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