I came across this kill site last winter in the woods behind our house:
Raptor kill sites are easily identifiable by the large pile of feathers found mainly under a tree or branch, indicating that the predator sat above while it consumed its meal.
I brought some of the more intact feathers home with me to see if I could identify what the prey was:
Based on color and size, rock dove (Columba livia) is what I came up with as the most likely species. We certainly have plenty of them around – the patch of woods I wander has development nearby, including a shopping plaza just across the main road north of the property line.
As for the predator, we have a number of nesting raptors in the area. Rock doves aren’t terribly small so it’s likely a larger bird – red-tailed hawk perhaps, or broad-wing.
Have you ever come across a large pile of feathers (or fur) outdoors? Were you able to tell what type of bird or animal got eaten? Tell us about it in the comments below!
