Mobbing incident!

SJANSELL · #1 (**permalink**) 07-09-2010, 04:54 PM

Just popped into the kitchen and caught a few seconds of 3 magpies mobbing a sparrowhawk. Brilliant bit of aerial acrobatics - they could stick amazingly close to it and seemed to be able to work together to head it off. The smaller birds have all hidden away temporarily!

Sarah

Dorts · #2 (**permalink**) 07-09-2010, 10:55 PM

Sarah.
Our Magpies are just the same, except here it's the Buzzards that get it, they will not leave them alone. You can tell that the Buzzards get really 'hacked-off' by it all! But, as you say, it does give us a superb ariel display while it's all going on.
Dorts.

moozy · #3 (**permalink**) 08-09-2010, 05:38 AM

The magpies are very clever and are formidable when in groups, I have seen it with rooks and herring gulls chasing Red kites and buzzards too.

Tringa · #4 (**permalink**) 08-09-2010, 07:08 PM

Good observation Sjan.

Magpies, more than other crows, seem to delight in making sure everyone else knows exactly who is in charge of any situation.

I have seen one magpie make things really unpleasant for a cat, apparently for no reason. It was September, so no breeding issues and when the cat moved off, the magpie flew away.

Wonderful birds and if you did not know where they come from, you would swear they were tropical.

Dave

actionfinch · #5 (**permalink**) 12-09-2010, 01:57 PM

i was looking at putting a fresh post about what i was about to say ,but then found this one...
I was in the kitchen this mornin along cam woody wood pigeon , as always in the morn popped himself on the bird table and started tucking in, then along came maggie the magpie, trying to get onto the table to share the food , but no the pigeon didnt want this and after a couple of wing stretchs later the magpie flew off.. and didnt bother the pigeon again,despite the fact there was another magie in the garden they didnt seem to gang up on the pigeon, is it the area where i live , that we have soft magpies lol.