Crow that ate a starling

[Chas]

I was waiting in my car outside the local post office and watched a few birds on the roof. Suddenly without warning a carrion crow siddled up to a starling grabbed it, then killed it with a few hard pecks and proceeded to eat it and all this in the main High St. Has anyone else ever observed a Crow taking a starling in this way?

[Jolanta Zofia Nowak]

Nope but then you're dealing with an unpredictable 'system' i.e. nature.

Let's face it, we've all been overtaken at one time or other by the sudden need for a bit of fast food...

[Kayleigh]

Two birdie questions

Look I posted this yesterday. I saw crows chasing a starling.

[demicav]

I know that some Corvids will take young birds. Never actually seen a Crow take a Starling. I suppose at this time of the year when food is short they will resort to anything.

[denn]

very interesting behavour,seen them chasing birds but never actually killing and eating an adult bird, what a great photo that would have made, but as has been said, thats nature for you.

[aeshna5]

I've seen them chasing various birds including Starlings, pigeons + Lapwings in addition to common mobbing behaviour of raptors + Herons. I've read of Crows killing a Lapwing + have seen them kill a juv. Feral Pigeon.

[Shanik]

The same scenario but not with a Starling, it was a House Sparrow, it certainly set the rest of the little group of Sparrows into a riot, I am not sure if it was a fledgeling or not but the Crow used the same tactic, closer and closer and then straight in and got the Sparrow.

[bounce]

I watched in amazment today as 2 carrion crows landed on one of the buildings near where I work, squarked for 5 minuites then flew into the big old tree and attacked a squirrel. They chased it through the tree one either side and up and down. Lots of noise and nearly 10 minuites later the squirrel came running down the yard and sat under a car for half an hour till the coast was clear. The tree is usualy filled with wood pidgeon, collard doves and magpies but everything soon vacated, dont usualy get carrion crows around just flying by.

[good_egg]

I saw a crow attack and kill a woodpigeon once. whether the woodie was sick or injured i dont know, since i only looked round when i heard the commotion. but what was noticable was the way the crow had the pigeon on his back, with a foot on each wing, rendering it helpless. it definitely looked like he'd done it before.

[Jason Green]

As far as CC going for WPs, as I've said before the headless corpses are signs that the crows are rearing young nearby.

I have also seen crows pinning ferals on their backs - it escaped but the FP was hit by a car nearby.