There are a pair of harrier in the Okere Arm of Lake Rotoiti that have become quite adept at taking chicks off the water. This morning I watched the male pursue an NZ grebe chick for almost 15 minutes. It had obviously developed a strategy forcing the chick to dive repeatedly until it tired. It plunged almost osprey like in the end to claim it. Very sad and almost unbearable to watch but ...
Cheers
Tim
Harrier predation of NZ grebe chicks
- Tim Barnard
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- Location: Okere Falls
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Re: Harrier predation of NZ grebe chicks
I have had people tell me of similar attacks at Lake Okareka. I tell them this is why we have got to get rid of introduced predators. They have evolved with avian ones