Magpies fighting

[Tinkerbell]

We visited Sutton Park last week and were alarmed to see magpies fighting extremely aggressively. They really pinned one another to the ground, and one appeared to be coming off much worse than the other. Eventually, they gave up and the loser bobbed away, but I imagine it would have been hurt.

I suppose it has something to do with mating, but I hadn't seen birds behaving like this before in the UK.

Tinkerbell

[jaykay]

I caught a magpie on my driveway a couple of weeks ago, squaring up to the neighbours cat! Not wishing to make it sound like a whimp, but the neighbours cat was the one to run away with it's tail between it's legs (so to speak!)

[Jason Green]

I've seen corvids Vs. pigeons before and a magpie beating a kestral, but never one corvid Vs. another. I can only assume it was over territory as you say.

A magpie Vs. a cat? The bird won? Wow, must've been interesting to see!!

[tameblackbirds]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

I've seen corvids Vs. pigeons before and a magpie beating a kestral, but never one corvid Vs. another. I can only assume it was over territory as you say.

A magpie Vs. a cat? The bird won? Wow, must've been interesting to see!!

Seen several gang up on a rat in my garden couple of springs ago fascinating

[Pippa]

I have seen them fighting many times and ganging up too.I remember seeing 5 Magpies attack a Blackbird and they took turns at beating it down until they wore it out and it became their meal.Hence to say, i almost fainted.We were in a traffic jam at the time.

[tameblackbirds]

Originally Posted by Pippa

I have seen them fighting many times and ganging up too.I remember seeing 5 Magpies attack a Blackbird and they took turns at beating it down until they wore it out and it became their meal.Hence to say, i almost fainted.We were in a traffic jam at the time.

oh Pippa that must have been harrowing. They certainly are the killer whale of the bird family. I remember when they where only seen in the countryside. they are very clever birds and obviously work together especially when hunting live food such as nest raiding.

[jaykay]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

I've seen corvids Vs. pigeons before and a magpie beating a kestral, but never one corvid Vs. another. I can only assume it was over territory as you say.

A magpie Vs. a cat? The bird won? Wow, must've been interesting to see!!

Jason, not so much interesting as very funny! cat didn't think so but I found it most amusing. As I said, the cat's a whimp and normally only picks on my small visitors so it was nice to see it get a taste of it's own medicine.

[hirundine]

I was once walking to the polling station on election day in Victoria Park in Manchester, and came across six or seven magpies having a furious altercation, the noise was incredible. I suppose there must have been some hapless smaller bird in the middle being torn to bits...

[rowanalder]

I saw 2 Magpies the other day but they had quite alot more white on them I thought it was odd.