Crows attacking a Buzzard

Linspuk · #1 (**permalink**) 14-08-2010, 08:52 AM

We were woken this morning, in the small market town of Chesham, Bucks, at 7am, by a cacophony of bird calls, mainly crows with seagulls, pigeons and all sorts thrown in, and it wasn't the dawn chorus. After a couple of minutes, we looked out of the window and saw a load of what seemed to be crows, chasing all the other birds, and one especially having an airborne fight with a big brown bird. These two actually fell to the ground in our garden, with the crow having very much the upper hand in biting what I subsequently identified as a buzzard. The crow was on top of the buzzard and pecking away at it. After a while, at the point where I'd thrown on some clothes and was about to intervene somehow, the buzzard got loose and flew away - I hope it was ok and survives. Very shortly after, all the birds left the area and it was quiet.

Is this unusual behaviour? I've not seen anything like this before, and looking on the net this morning it seems to be uncharacteristic behaviour for a crow. I'd be interested to hear from any bird experts out there.

paulinemiller10 · #2 (**permalink**) 14-08-2010, 10:57 AM

I live in the centre of a small town and there is a buzzard that feeds on the town pigeons, and I often see it flying over my house with a load of jackdaws in tow all chasing the buzzard. Pauline.

JackBD95 · #3 (**permalink**) 14-08-2010, 11:00 AM

i have also seen this .... it is likely that the buzzard was trying to take the crows chicks and got caught in the act!
hope this helps

faz · #4 (**permalink**) 14-08-2010, 11:10 AM

all birds will mob a predator it happens all the time

aeshna5 · #5 (**permalink**) 14-08-2010, 12:55 PM

Crows (+ other corvids) as well as gulls regularly mob birds of prey + Herons in flight.

Naturenutz · #6 (**permalink**) 14-08-2010, 07:09 PM

Crow chicks would have fledged by now,so doubt the buzzard was after chicks .I think it is common for crows to mob buzzards but not common to have physical contact between the two.Crows are experts at pestering buzzards to move them on,dive bombing,working in pairs or groups pestering in flight without normally risking contact.I have seen this mobbing many times but i have never seen contact between the two.I am suprised the crow had the better of a buzzard.the buzzard is a larger bird with larger talons and is expert at using its talons to hold prey.Initially in a fight it would be the feet/talons used to get the upper hand,only when in control with its feet would the beak be used and i am suprised a crow could out feet fight a buzzard

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John B (NTS) · #7 (**permalink**) 14-08-2010, 08:37 PM

Can't see that happening with a Female Goshawk somehow. 1.5 kg of concentrated ferocity....

faz · #8 (**permalink**) 14-08-2010, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John B (NTS)

Can't see that happening with a Female Goshawk somehow. 1.5 kg of concentrated ferocity....

yeah u can with birds protecting young and nest

Cotham Marble · #9 (**permalink**) 14-08-2010, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linspuk

Is this unusual behaviour? I've not seen anything like this before, and looking on the net this morning it seems to be uncharacteristic behaviour for a crow. I'd be interested to hear from any bird experts out there.

'Mobbing' of raptors by corvids and gulls is very common throughout the year, and the alarm calls are worth getting to know because they are a useful clue that there's a raptor around. It may seem surprising that other birds will take on raptors, but both crows and gulls, although not matching raptors offensive equipment (bill and talons) they will outdo most raptors in aerial agility.

Interactions that see both birds interlocked and falling to the ground is more of a rarity, as the object of most mobbing is to drive the predator away - and in most cases this happens quite quickly because any surprise advantage the predator may have had will have been lost. The most amusing mobbing I've seen involved an errant leashed eagle that installed itself on a house chimney in suburban Bristol. For nearly an hour two crows shuffled around the roof within centimetres of the eagle, giving it a very uncomfortable time in its bid for freedom.

CM

Linspuk · #10 (**permalink**) 15-08-2010, 09:04 AM

Those are all very interesting answers, thanks. Not being a birder in the least, my recognition skills are non-existent but I did look at the RSPB website and wikipedia straight after this incident, so am fairly confident that it was indeed a crow and a buzzard. They were on the ground with the crow on top for about a minute before the buzzard, seemingly playing dead or mortally wounded, half under a bush, created the opportunity to escape, and flew off at a very steep angle due to the surrounding house walls. Fascinating.

Thanks for your comments.