magpie and blackbirds

[sue1]

There is a mum, dad and (at least one) baby blackbird living in my garden. I've seen the baby flying.
There is a magpie that comes into the garden and mum and dad blackbird go mad, squawking and flapping around. I know they are protecting the baby, but why is magpie even interested? I assumed at first that they were protecting a new nest/eggs/newly hatched babies. Then today I saw the baby hiding until mum told it to come out...or rather until I had shooed magpie off with the garden hose!

What does this magpie want with an older, larger,flying baby? To kill it and eat it?

I wouldn't mind but there is a dead starling in the garden that I found yesterday but haven't the nerve to move yet, so there's a ready meal there!

Also, i am not too keen on the hose method of moving the magpie on, as the spray goes all over and may actually bother the blackbirds and baby...any tips?

[aeshna5]

Given the chance, the Magpie probably will take the youngster. I'm not sure there is much you can do- you can hardly keep a 24 hour watch on it. I don't think we should intervene too much in these cases as Magpies have to eat too. The best thing is to make sure you have plenty of cover so that young birds have some protection from predators.

[cleverdogs]

Last year I saw a magpie chase and catch an adult female blackbird. It was trying to kill her but the male blackbird was trying to distract and get rid of it.

She managed to get away a couple of times but it caught her again. There wasn't much I could do and a second magpie was following the "hunt", probably waiting for a chance to eat.

I saw almost the same situation just last week, two magpies chasing an adult female blackbird and a male following. It was only a few feet from where it happened last year.

It must be very common or these particular magpies make a habit of it.

[sue1]

Wildlife has a dark side

I know it's right that I can't be there all the time but when I am, and see all this going on, I have to intervene.

I have mixed feelings about magpies... on the one hand they are one of god's creatures and deserve a life. However they are very cruel. I don't have anything against an animal that kills others to eat, big cats for example. BUT most birds do not do this, magpies do, and in a violent manner too.

However I would not see one hurt..took one to my vet last year as it was injured.

Cleverdogs, that must have been horrid to watch. Poor male blackbird trying to save his mate to no avail

[witham]

This can be a very traumatic time of year for birds with young, Magpies are relentless when emptying birds nests, we often hear them 'chuckling' along with the panic calls from the parents when they've found one, Crows come a very close second then Jackdaws, have you read the Mr & Mrs Mallard topic, a crow has decimated their nest by destroying their eggs over a period of time waiting until the Ducks were away, then of course I've not mentioned Sparrowhawks, and other Raptors,, so also bringing cats and rats into the equation it's a wonder any baby birds survive at all

[cleverdogs]

Yes it was horrible Sue1 and I did nothing at the time because if the blackbird was badly injured it would have been a quicker end.

I felt bad for weeks wondering if I should have stepped in, especially as the blackbirds probably had chicks somewhere and losing a parent makes them less likely to survive.

But then the magpies probably also had chicks to feed.

Nature can be wonderful to watch and other times quite horrific.

[sue1]

I can imagine how bad you felt, I would have been the same, but sometimes it is best to let nature take its course, as like you say the bird may have died anyway, but a long slow one

[birdslover]

hi to everyone..just found a blackbird chick in my garden..i love birds so i took it in. Now i gotta deal with him the best way possible . Some advise please....would be great

[wizzo]

Hi Birdslover and welcome to WAB. Probably would have been far better to have left the bird where you found it. It may be too late to replace it now, but somebody will put you right on that. It's damage limitation now, I expect and hopefully there will be others along to advise you of the best thing to do.
You obviously had the chicks best interest at heart, but sometimes it's just better to let nature take it's course, however hard it seems. Good luck anyway - Wizzo

[birdslover]

he was there all day>>he must have fallen of his nest ..loads of cats in the area and his flying aint at his best yet. .. i m here now,..how shall i "proceed"?