Torenvalk Falco tinnunculus als aaseter

On 30 October 2005, an adult female Eurasian Kestrel was seen while plucking on top of a large avian prey at the Eemshaven in northern Groningen. With substantial difficulty, she tried and succeeded to remove particles of flesh from the breast muscle. After 1,5 h the Kestrel was chased from the prey, which turned out to be a Curlew Numenius arquata. Given prey size, it is unlikely that the Kestrel had captured it herself. Presumably, the Curlew had been taken by a Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis or Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus (both of which occur in the area), but this was not witnessed.