As reported by National Geographic, for years bird-watchers visiting the island nature reserve sixteen miles offshore puzzled over the appearance of decapitated Manx shearwater chicks at the end of each summer. In late August thousands of youngsters start to venture from the safety of their hillside burrows. Still unable to fly, their emergence provides a windfall for predators. Leg and wing bones were missing; everything else, including feathers, flesh and skin, remained intact.
“We find their carcasses up on the hills near the nesting sites,” said nature reserve warden Mick Blunt. “The main period of predation occurs when the young ones finally emerge from their burrows. They come out mainly at night for a mosey around. This is when there are rich pickings to be had, especially if there’s a full moon and the chicks are clearly visible.” Now THERE’S a Fantasia 2010 Disney Moment….
In the case of deer, the need for topping up calcium levels is obvious when there’s a new set of antlers to grow each year. Reproductive success in stags has been found to correlate with antler size, which in turn is influenced by the quality of the vegetation they eat. Seabirds may seem an odd food for a ruminant, but for Rum’s red deer they could be the key to healthy living. And mating.