jbl

I was watching a large hedgehog meandering across our garden and into the field this evening when three house martins circled above it and then, in turn, swooped down and over it. They were almost touching it as they passed. It was a deliberate action by the birds and repeated over and over again. I also heard them 'chirrup' as they passed over it, not when they were in the sky, again a deliberate action. I was only a few feet away, standing very still and watching intently. My first thought was that they were attacking it and it did flinch a couple of times but then I thought perhaps they were feeding and catching fleas/mites from just above it.
Any experts out there that can tell me more ?
Cheers
Brian.

steve05wrx

Hi,
Almost certainly feeding on its parasites or flies swarming above it.
Every hedgehog that I have seen close-up has been infested with fleas and lice.
Cheers
Steve

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

And ticks.

Paben

iTrader: (5)

I think these birds swoop close to any animal that strays into their territory. I had a tom cat that would sit up high on the garden wall while Martins buzzed him, while he remained apparently uninterested. Every so often though one would chance its arm (or wing I suppose) and fly too close and he would whack them out of the sky.

Turbohot

We have a hedgehog or two living in our garden for years. Our cats play chase with them, but quite understandably, from a distance, and never harm them. I've never seen birds hovering over a hedgehog, but as it has been suggested, it must be to pick their fleas for their own dinner. I think the birds won't hover over our snail eating hedgehogs as our cats would get them, and that will become a three-layered parallel process at the same time. Cats will come out as the winners. May be it does happen, and therefore, my cats are friends with Mister and Mrs. Hedgehog.

LSherratt

iTrader: (1)

Bloody messy buggars house martins. I hate the things and they are all over the farm at the moment. They've been coming back here every summer for the last 10 years and yes I know they're protected...

JackClark

I like to walk around in the buff, in fact I'm typing this nude. Not sure I'd ever go to any of the events as I've heard it's all Gilfs.

Alan Jeffery

In which case, I'd avoid the Hedgehogs if I were you..

dpb

That's naturist Jack ! , copping off with a hedgehog could land you in big trouble

dpb

Still , just about anything has to be more exciting than staring at an apple thing all day

Paben

iTrader: (5)

That must go down well in Waitrose