Title: Eleonora’s falcon (Falco eleonorae) The place it lives: Breeding within the Mediterranean and off the northwest coast of Africa, wintering in MadagascarWhat it eats: Bugs, bats and small birdsWhy it is superior: The Eleonora’s falcon is a small raptor that takes its searching skills to the subsequent stage — by catching its prey alive and protecting them imprisoned. It captures small birds, strips their flight feathers stopping them from with the ability to fly, then stuffs them into rock fissures or deep holes, from which they can’t escape. A small chook believed to have imprisoned by an Eleonora’s falcon on the Mogador archipelago. (Picture credit score: Abdeljebbar Qninba)Surprisingly, just one inhabitants of Eleonora’s falcon is thought to partake on this uncommon predatory conduct. The conduct was already recognized to native fishers, however ornithologists first described the searching method in 2015 after finishing up a census of the species on the Mogador archipelago, off the west coast of Morocco.Scientists suppose that by protecting birds captive, the raptors can hold their meals supply recent till it is wanted. Whereas nearly all of the prey are small songbirds, in addition they eat swifts, hoopoes (Upupa epops) and a few waders. Associated: The human-sized African chook that eats child crocodiles and kills its siblingsGet the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.The authors consider this conduct is exclusive to the Mogador inhabitants, having discovered no different reviews of dwell imprisonment amongst different Eleonora’s falcons or raptor species. Their findings, nonetheless, had been met with skepticism by some. Rob Simmons, a behavioral ecologist on the College of Cape City in South Africa, instructed New Scientist the imprisoned birds may be escapees hiding in rocks to keep away from being killed. All Eleonora’s falcons devour birds throughout their nesting interval, between July and October. They prey on migrating birds which can be drained from their lengthy journeys, catching them mid-flight. This feast helps the falcons and their younger put together for their very own migration to Madagascar. The remainder of the 12 months they feed primarily on bugs equivalent to dragonflies and butterflies.