jms@turing.newcastle.ac.uk (J.M. Spencer) (12/07/89)
In <9793@cloud9.Stratus.COM> Mike Mahler write:
> [ about 5 crows attacking a hawk ]
I live within about 20 miles of the North Sea with the consequence that
the gull population is 'healthy'. I also live in a suburban area which
is over populated with corvids (because there is plenty of food, habitat,
and no-one shoots them).
At the start of the hawking season I am obliged to fly my redtail loose
on a set of sports pitches near home. Within minutes the sky is full
of crows (I've counted 40+) all intent on mobbing her. They are *very*
quickly joined by a similar number if gulls. It usually results in her
taking stand/refuge in a tree. These crows are mobbing her because they
*know* she is unfit - they can see it from the way she flies. They also
realise that she is not on a hunting trip and so give her a hard time.
I'd like to take a .22 and sort them out, but I think Joe Public would
kick up a fuss.
Once she is fit, however, she tolerates their nonsense for 10 minutes
and then takes to the wing. They mob her of course but the skies clear
*completely* when she rolls over and shows her claws. They know she
means business and you don't see a crow for the rest of the day.
I've seen similar behavior with sparrowhawks. Starlings will mob a spar
that they can see has a full crop (and hence isn't hunting), but they keep
very quite when they spot a spar on the hunt.
If a hawk is harried by the crow/starlings enough, it just get up and moves
until, eventually, it is out of the crows territories and the crows leave
it alone. I've never known of crows killing an adult hawk.
J.M.Spencer@uk.ac.newcastle