Photo by Baba-Vulic Aleksandar
A northern harrier catches up to a short-earred owl, knocks the small rodent (vole) she was carrying out of her grasp, and catches it’s rapidly descending prize before it meets the ground. Harrier has been known to steal a vole froma short- eared owl in mid-air. This is an example of kleptoparasitism, which is when one bird steals another’s food.
That vole can’t catch a break! 😮
There are many reasons raptors are but typically social creatures, and this is a prime example.
Whoever brings home the calories lives to see another day!