Crow attacks Heron

[barquar]

this morning I was looking out the window and a Crow was Attacking a heron as it flew over. Anyone else seen this happen?.
Barquar

[Madonplants]

Originally Posted by barquar

this morning I was looking out the window and a Crow was Attacking a heron as it flew over. Anyone else seen this happen?.
Barquar

Probably thinks it's a bird of prey, but it's not uncommon for Crows to 'mob' Herons

[diggleken]

Hi barquar,
this is normal, and common, behaviour against many larger birds that might be predatory on another, when there are young/eggs about or for territorial reasons - its known as 'mobbing' when there are a few, but also singly as in your case - you will see it against most birds of prey, and the likes of herons and is often a good guide that theres one about when you see a group of birds flock mobbing and being noisy.
Similar to when a flock on the ground is 'put up' , say at a reserve, you know theres a BOP about - they see it before us usually.
Even small birds like swallows/martins will mob the likes of peregrine and sparrowhawk in the breeding season if they see it as a threat.
Crows themselves (and other predatory corvids) will be mobbed by smaller birds too - recently saw nuthatch near their nest site being brave against Jackdaw!
Cheers
Ken

[Dogghound]

Yes as others have said it is quite common to see corvids and gulls mobbing herons. I often see this.

[gleditsa]

it has been said that crows etc, will mob a heron in the hope it will regurgitate its catch, thus providing an easy meal for the crows, (much like our modern day muggers

never seen it myself but it sounds as though it could well be right,

gleditsa.

[Jason Green]

Afternoon Janet,

Started already, has it?! That's a frequent encounter, Crows 'mobbing' Herons, though they harrass other birds too. I caught this shot about two years back on a distant field trip...

Often the Crows will see off the Heron in flight and chase it a good distance. As both are in flight the Heron will try to get away often alarm-calling, but if the Heron is perched and the Crows approach it head-on the fish-eater will stand it's ground as you see here!

They make nice action shots, though you have to feel for the Heron!

Take care,

Jason

[Ukwildlifeo]

I remember reading books saying herons are mobbed because crows/gulls think they are BOP. But I have to wonder with herons tendancy to eat anything if they see it as a threat to the nest in springtime!

[Susie]

We spent a terrible Sunday afternoon watching a heron being slowly ripped to pieces by crows once. The heron had got one of its feet caught in some chicken wire which ran around the edge of a roof (I imagine it was there to keep pigeons off) and couldn't escape.

We phoned the RSPCA but they didn't want to know and then we tried our local wildlife group but by the time they arrived the heron had lost both eyes and both legs were broken.

[Jason Green]

Originally Posted by Susie

We phoned the RSPCA but they didn't want to know and then we tried our local wildlife group but by the time they arrived the heron had lost both eyes and both legs were broken.

How awful, that must have wrecked the afternoon. Poor thing, was it freed or not?

[witham]

Crows will attack anything they see as a threat or if they are hungry. I have seen a group of them attack an Owl when it got too near one of the Owl boxes that have been put up intermittentaly along the river bank as perhaps they were interested in it as a des res, I have also seen some mobbing a sick sheep and when the farmer came to collect it, its eyes had been pecked out and most of its tongue was missing as they like any soft tissue.