crow vs magpie

[monkeyrepublic]

Witnessed a crow pinning a magpie to the ground today. Other magpie dive bombed, but I think it was my presence at window that perturbed the crow. Amazing! Anyone seen similar bird battles?

[posie]

Not exactly hands on, or claws and beaks-on battles. but I often watch the rooks chasing the buzzards off, away from the rookery...it's almost as though the buzzards are teasing the rooks, 'cos I can't think there's anything in the trees that they would want, unless they want to perch to view the terrain for hunting...anyway, the buzzards don't seem bothered, just keep flying around 'til the rooks give up....you can almost imagine them saying ''Bovvered, am I bovvered?'' it's pretty noisy though..
Posie..

[htcdude]

Other than usual mobbing of BOPs I saw 4 or 5 magpies having a good old scuffle a couple of months ago. Looked quite vicious, but no-one died

Oh yeah and I've had Robins and Blackbirds fighting in the back garden this year during breeding season.

Nige

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by posie

...it's almost as though the buzzards are teasing the rooks, 'cos I can't think there's anything in the trees that they would want, unless they want to perch to view the terrain for hunting...anyway,

Buzzards will predate young rooks, recently fledged rooks and occassionally adults.


Regarding the OP is it possible that the magpie could have had some food the crowwas after. Crows ar much larger and will bully birds like this. They have been recorded predating bird up to the size of woodpigeons so it may have been having a go at this magpies, however this is usually done in hard weather or when food is in short supply.

[posie]

[quote=Dogghound;814826]Buzzards will predate young rooks, recently fledged rooks and occassionally adults.


Thankyou Dogghound, I did not know that..
Would a Buzzard take, or try to take a medium size cat, off a fence for instance.?

Posie

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by posie

Would a Buzzard take, or try to take a medium size cat, off a fence for instance.?

No, the largest food item one would take (alive) is a rabbit or young hare. I am sure somes cats would kill a buzzard though given the chance.

[Billabong Karen]

I was in Austria hiking this summer, and was thrilled to see a pair of Golden Eagles. They were soaring along parallel to us (we were walking on a high ridge, about 2500 metres up) - and they were being bombed and hassled by crows. Didnt seem to bother them though - they just swept WAY up into the sky leaving the crows behind. The crows were tiny in comparison - the eagles were huge - wing span must have been at least 6 or 7 feet. An amazing sight.

[Brocakat]

[quote=posie;814832]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Buzzards will predate young rooks, recently fledged rooks and occassionally adults.


Thankyou Dogghound, I did not know that..
Would a Buzzard take, or try to take a medium size cat, off a fence for instance.?

Posie

Smaller than medium-size I know - but I could imagine a buzzard going for a kitten.

[Dogghound]

It probably would, a kitten is smaller than a rabbit. Buzzards sometimes take small mustelids. I guess most small kittens would be either in a garden, den or close to buildings reducing the likelihood of predation occuring, but if one was to wander into the open alone then I guess its fair game.

[Sawsicksteve]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Buzzards will predate young rooks, recently fledged rooks and occassionally adults.

Really? Any references for this? I have a rookery not 30 metres from my bedroom window, and in all the years I've lived here I've never witnessed a Buzzard get close enough to grab even a fledgling - let alone an adult.
I see Rooks and Buzzards interact most days here, and when, for e.g, ploughing they quite happily co-exist as they hunt for invertebrates that the plough turns up.
In my experience, Buzzards tend to err on the side of caution when it comes to prey items. Not unnaturally if you think about it, as if a predator is damaged in an attack it has a lot more to lose.
It would have to be a pretty desperate Buzzard that took on a healthy adult Rook, especially as the Rook would be unlikely to be alone. In fact, the only predation at a rookery I've witnessed is by a Carrion crow who snuck in to grab a couple of eggs from a peripheral nest when the rest of the colony was distracted and mobbing - yes - a Buzzard!
Now Goshawk, that's a different thing altogether...