PlasticJock 539 Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 Walked up to the in laws yesterday about half 12 to get my car after a heavy weekend (it seemed like a good idea at the time), and as I got there I heard a big commotion on the other side of the road so looked over to see what was going on. A flock of starlings was going mad, because a crow had grabbed one (presumably in flight), and was pecking it on the floor as it had it pinned down... I've never heard of a crow attacking a live bird, especially in the 'safety' of a flock? Anyway, the starling was flapping about and couldn't get up so I necked the poor thing. Got home and mentioned it to the missus, she said in the last week one of her friends had been attacked in the street by a crow, and another had a resident stalker who keeps trying to get in through her kitchen window (Lab?) Is this normal behaviour for crows? I've never seen it before and I was wondering if anyone else has noticed strange behaviour? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SeanMcD 92 Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 seen a magpie doing the same last week but never a crow Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stewie 3,387 Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 crows will be the last species on this earth :yes: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kenny14 656 Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 Very normal behaviour for Crows : http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/topic/248505-the-grim-reaper/page__pid__2629212?do=findComment&comment=2629212 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PlasticJock 539 Posted May 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 Very normal behaviour for Crows : http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/topic/248505-the-grim-reaper/page__pid__2629212?do=findComment&comment=2629212 Cheers, must just be that I've never seen it or heard of it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skycat 6,174 Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 Saw a crow attacking a young rabbit once: it tried to fly off with it when I came along, but couldn't quite get it off the ground. The rabbit was about 1/4 grown, and its neck had been pecked at as though a ferret had been on it: too badly injured to survive so I finished it off. That was the first time I saw a crow going for a live creature: been a few more since. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paid 935 Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 They prob up their game a bit this time of year, with young to feed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnGalway 1,043 Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 Seen greycrows chasing live birds before. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Malt 379 Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 Yep, totally normal and in character. watched a gang of crows trying to kill a fledgling pigeon which had fallen out of a nest a few years back. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
paulus 26 Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 saw one that had grabbed a wren up the lane a few weeks ago Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mooch. 177 Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 I'vs seen 2 attacking a live myxi rabbit. Poor fecker had most of the back of it's head missing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jasper65 6 Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 seen a Jay take young blue tits from around bird feeders in the past PJ, also seen a crow walk along a flat topped leylandi hedge before dropping head long into the middle and coming out with a young collard dove chick. I had a jackdaw when I was a lad and would let him out earley in the morning and sit with the bedroom window open watching him get up to mischief, I saw him on a few occasions pull young Sparrows out of the guttering to eat . Having said that mate the wild birds seem pretty hungary this year probably due to the poor weather we have been having, read somthing on the net about the lack of Insects about which will effect alot of breeding birds this year... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PlasticJock 539 Posted May 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 Cheers lads, Jasper it seems we learn something new everyday Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jasper65 6 Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 Jasper it seems we learn something new everyday You're 100% right mate . learned alot this year the way this weather has played havoc with my birds, never known nowt like it in all the time I have owned them... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lab 10,979 Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 I love posts like these because it shows the true nature of our wildlife. Now i know this wont come as a shock to most folk but a good number of years back a crow had nipped in through a hole in one of the pens on the rearing field. Years ago we used to let the chicks out pretty early( too early probably.. ) and they must have been around 2 weeks old. They had just been out for a few hours too on a very nice hot day when i noticed the crow was in. It had walked inside the night shelter and it had killed a fair few chicks. It didnt make it out.. Also when speaking to my neighbour one sunny night in the rearing season a Buzzard flew down and grabbed a young poult that must have escaped during the day........luckily me running straight at it shouting many a swear word saved the poult but my neighbour couldn't believe it, he never knew they killed birds to eat and he has stayed out of the town most of his life and he's retired.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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