How to distinguish duck and wader remains eaten by the peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus from those eaten by other birds of prey and humans: A taphonomic analysis

Abstract

AbstractBird bones from archeological sites near cliffs and at the entrance to caves may have been accumulated by the peregrine falcon and not by humans. To find out who deposited these remains—humans, peregrine falcons, or some other predators—taphonomic studies must be carried out. This study shows the characteristic damage to the bones of modern birds done by peregrine falcons. These include greater than expected abundance of humeri and coracoids, relatively little fragmentation of long bones, perforations mainly seen in the sternum and humerus, and characteristic proportions of the preserved skeleton elements. The described features make it possible to clearly distinguish food remains deposited by diurnal birds of prey from those accumulated by humans or owls. To identify the most likely species of bird of prey that has accumulated a given assemblage, it is important not only to establish the taxonomic composition of the assemblage but also to take into account the prey size preferred by the various raptors. The present research shows that the differences between bone damage of different victims of peregrine falcons are relatively small, which indicates that the results of our research are quite universal and can be applied to different geographic areas inhabited by different species of birds.