A Lanner Falon on strike!

Taking my wife to King George Hospital yesterday for a quick check up we passed a house just before netering at gate two. When suddenly an adult Lanner Falcon showing his almost rufous cap whizzed by at a neck-breaking speed in front of our car. Dodging through the gate and just passing the security guard who barely saw the lightning fast bird. The bird banked slightly showing its full extension and wings as passed right of my drivers window. My neck is still a bit sore from the sudden jerk to track the course of its flight. As I managed to turn my head I saw the falcon furiously strike a feral pigeon that spotted the falcon at the very last possible chance. I suspect it was hobson's choice, it tried to flee, as it took off the Falcon struck it dead centre on its breast. I have absolutely no doubt that had my window been open we would have heard an audible crack. The Falcon then extended itself into a aggressive 'mantling' posture extending its wings covering the now dead pigeon, craning its head around scanning the sky for any piratical Pied Crows or perhaps the larger and more daunting Yellow-billed Kites. I felt quite conflicted, I had to get my wife to her appointment, but I just wanted to stay and watch this magnificent killing machine feed. Taking a calming breath we drove through the gate and up to the hospital. An hour and half later we returned but there was no sign of the birds except for some bloody feathers and discarded giblets.

I sincerely hope that the bird was able to enjoy its reward without being driven off by a prowling dog or cat. Replaying the event in my mind step-by-step I realised that the Falcon had stooped in with the sun behind it, almost using an old dog-fighting technique from world war one and two where fighter planes would stoop in on bombers and other aircraft with the sun behind them making it difficult to detect their approach. I wonder who first figured out the technique and whether they learned that from observing or working with raptors. Perhaps a falconer or some ornithologist realised that the principles that work for high-speed ambushes for Falcons could be applied to aerial combat. Well yesterday the score was certainly Falcon 1 and Pigeon -1.

Here is a short YouTube video showing a Lanner strike on a Quail. How the person recorded this is amazing, very lucky. It depicts it the bird mantling over its Quail kill.


Here is a really good National Geographic YouTube clip on Peregrine Falcon stooping speeds. The american pilot recorded this particularly falcon 183 mph. That is absolutely mind-blowing.