Curious behaviour query

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CassieAnn
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 11:50 am

Curious behaviour query

Post by CassieAnn »

Hi, Guys

I have a behavioural question. I was in the garden this morning with my two dogs, when a decapitated blackbird flew low over the garden fence and landed, heavily and very dead against another of my garden walls. Presumably it had been attacked by a cat or something and was attempting to escape. I have two German Shepherds who investigated immediately and had a good sniff. One just walked away, however the other did something very interesting/curious. With her nose, she moved wet soil and leaves over the bird until it was completely covered.

I wondered if anybody else had come across this and had any ideas what her motivation was? I'm not daft enough to think she was giving the poor creature a decent burial, GSD-style, but wondered if she could perhaps have been making a food store of it? I seem to remember seeing that foxes do this with excess chickens that they kill.

Thanks, everyone.

Cassie
JudyN
Posts: 7018
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:20 pm
Location: Dorset, UK
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Re: Curious behaviour query

Post by JudyN »

My dog would have eaten it :lol:

I think your dog may well have been trying to bury it to eat later. We used to have a Yorkie who would bury bones not much smaller than she was, then dig them up months later and drag them into the house, leaving a trail of maggots in her wake :mrgreen:

I'm fascinated, though a little grossed, that the blackbird could still fly after being decapitated. I guess it's the equivalent of headless chickens running around.
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
CassieAnn
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 11:50 am

Re: Curious behaviour query

Post by CassieAnn »

I have to confess that a headless blackbird hurtling towards me wasn't what I was expecting first thing in the morning. I thought these two would eat it, as well! Thanks for the reply.
Suzette
Posts: 1518
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2011 6:45 am

Re: Curious behaviour query

Post by Suzette »

I am pretty sure Judy is right - he was burying it for later consumption. Even if he wasn't going to ever eat it, some instinct still told him to cover it so another animal would not find it and "steal" it from him. :lol:

My raw fed dog tried for her whole first year of eating raw to bury her meal. For her, that instinct was incredibly strong.
My avatar is Piper, my sweet Pembroke Corgi. b. 5/11/11
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