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Old 04-26-2013, 02:00 PM
 
Location: Tennessee
37,801 posts, read 41,008,695 times
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I saw the funniest thing both yesterday and today at the same location. A tiny mockingbird was going kamikaze on a big crow. When I say tiny, I mean tiny. No matter where the crow went, the skinny little mockingbird chased it. When the crow was on the ground, the mockingbird dived toward the crows head repeatedly. It got so when the crow was feeding on the ground it kept looking up and around to see where the pesky mockingbird was. Even in the tree the mockingbird chased after it. The crow flew down the shoreline of the lake and the mockingbird was right behind him making a racket (you had to look because of the noise the mockingbird was making) and swooping on him. And it was only one crow, not all of the crows. I don't know what the crow did to make the mockingbird so mad but I saw it two days in a row so the mockingbird was either insane or holding a big grudge. What surprised me was the crow that was at least 3x the size of the mockingbird didn't fight back.

I tried to take a photo but wasn't successful.
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Old 04-26-2013, 02:14 PM
 
Location: In a happy, quieter home now! :)
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Great story, Laura!
....the defensive behavior of some animals at mating season!
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Old 04-26-2013, 02:19 PM
 
Location: Kanada ....(*V*)....
126,272 posts, read 19,045,264 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LauraC View Post
I saw the funniest thing both yesterday and today at the same location. A tiny mockingbird was going kamikaze on a big crow. When I say tiny, I mean tiny. No matter where the crow went, the skinny little mockingbird chased it. When the crow was on the ground, the mockingbird dived toward the crows head repeatedly. It got so when the crow was feeding on the ground it kept looking up and around to see where the pesky mockingbird was. Even in the tree the mockingbird chased after it. The crow flew down the shoreline of the lake and the mockingbird was right behind him making a racket (you had to look because of the noise the mockingbird was making) and swooping on him. And it was only one crow, not all of the crows. I don't know what the crow did to make the mockingbird so mad but I saw it two days in a row so the mockingbird was either insane or holding a big grudge. What surprised me was the crow that was at least 3x the size of the mockingbird didn't fight back.

I tried to take a photo but wasn't successful.

Need story could it be there was a nest near by? We have Killdeer(Killdeer is a medium-sized plover.) near by and when anything from people or birds come near it 's territory it does the same actions as you described about the Mockingbird.
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Old 04-26-2013, 03:27 PM
 
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I've seen this behavior by mockingbirds against crows many times. Usually one on one, like you saw. It's a territorial thing, I think. They chase the crows away from their nesting areas.
Mockingbirds are very territorial and can be quite mean, as beautiful and talented songwise as they are.
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Old 04-26-2013, 05:54 PM
 
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The Mockingbird very likely has a nest nearby that it is protecting. I see things like this happening every spring. Those tiny birds can get pretty brave when it comes to their nests/eggs/babies.
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Old 04-26-2013, 08:57 PM
 
Location: Under the Redwoods
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I saw this same thing with some sort of sparrow or finch, much smaller than a mocking bird but it still gave that crow what for. I think the crow was in the tree to close to the little birds nest. At first it was three or four little birds pestering the crow. When the crow did fly away one of the birds followed it while swooping at the crows head. They both flew off beyond sight.
I may not have ever looked up if it was not for the chickens. They live under the tree and were making supportive distress/annoyance clucking.
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Old 04-27-2013, 02:16 PM
 
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Your story brings a smile! Just goes to show that when totally pi**ed off, tiny size doesn't matter.
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Old 04-28-2013, 08:13 AM
 
Location: Tennessee
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I think what amused me was I saw this two days in a row. I was sitting at the lake taking photos of the grackles, cowbirds and red winged blackbirds. I put some seeds for them on top of three posts near my car because it keeps it from the ducks and geese (everybody else feeds them) that hoover up the grub on the ground. I had some peanuts in shells in the car from feeding the blue jays in another location so when I saw the crows I tossed them a few. The crows are greedy and take sometimes three peanuts at a time to fly off with and crack them open but I didn't care because the grackles that also eat the peanuts were busy with the seeds on the post. All of a sudden the tiny mockinbird (smallest one I've ever seen) appears chattering up a storm and diving at the crow. So, the crow flies into the nearest tree and the mockingbird comes right at him in the tree. Then, the crow takes off down the shoreline of the lake with the noisy little mockingbird tailgating him. It happened a couple of times. But, who knew they carried a grudge that long? I was shocked to see the same thing the next day. The crows all look alike to me but it was the same tiny mockingbird.

I've seen crows chase hawks so why the crow didn't fight back is a mystery to me.

Also, about the nest possibility. I had the worst parents in the bird kingdom eating on the post - cowbirds.
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Old 04-28-2013, 10:01 AM
 
Location: Chapel Hill, N.C.
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Anybody with an outdoor cat can attest to the torture mockingbirds are guilty of. I had a cat who actually had open sores on the top of his head from a very nasty mockingbird. And the funny thing is the cat was on the porch, not anywhere near any possible nest. I finally put the cat on the screened in porch and the bird was still trying to get to him.

Google "Mockingbird attacks" and you will find lots of videos. Here is a very short one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXwgVmLTU38
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Old 04-28-2013, 10:14 AM
 
Location: The New England part of Ohio
24,112 posts, read 32,468,260 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by no kudzu View Post
Anybody with an outdoor cat can attest to the torture mockingbirds are guilty of. I had a cat who actually had open sores on the top of his head from a very nasty mockingbird. And the funny thing is the cat was on the porch, not anywhere near any possible nest. I finally put the cat on the screened in porch and the bird was still trying to get to him.

Google "Mockingbird attacks" and you will find lots of videos. Here is a very short one.


Mockingbird attack - YouTube
I've seen the same, only with my Cocker Spaniel puppy, who was in an enclosure. The mocking bird was relentless and vicious. I was sitting beside her, trying to enjoy the sun and fresh air, and this mocking bird began a rain of terror against my puppy!

They do seem to be nasty birds!
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