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I've seen this too, but I've also seen little mockingbirds harassing crows to no end. They don't just chase after them in flight, either. When the crow is on the ground they dive bomb on them so much so that when the crow is feeding on the ground they keep looking up to see where the pesky mockingbird is before they'll put their head down to pick up the food. I've seen this a few times now in different locations.
Somewhat unrelated but other birds will harass, perhaps for fun as well.
I remember once a coworker and I were observing a great blue heron on a dock. Suddenly a bald eagle dropped into view and dove at the great blue heron, pulling up about 5 feet away and climbing again. The heron jumped up dumping a stream of poo all over over the water as it flew off complaining in the classy way herons do whenever they are flushed-like a dinosaur cat being strangled to death.
It is quite the chain of events. Hummingbirds will chase Mockingbirds. Mockingbirds chase Crows, Crows chase Ravens, Ravens chase Redtails and Redtails will chase a Eagle.
Some of the Crow mobs can be quite huge so I don't blame the Hawk for beating it outta there.
I've personally seen crows mob both hawks and great horned owls but they have a particular hatred for the owls whom can pick them off at night.
Also, just about a year ago I saw 2 hawks in daylight freaking out the same way....around a great horned owl. Just generally harassing it. My guess is that they had a nest nearby.
I have had great horned owls in my neighborhood for years, typically 3-4 and so I see them getting into it with crows quite often and have also seen a pack of 7-8 blue jays do it on one occasion.
Great Horned owls have claws inches long, a grib like a linebacker and are deadly silent in flight. Their prey list includes pretty much most small mammals and birds including things like Raccoon and young alligators too. I'd not be surprised if that's where my neighbors cat disappeared to.
I've personally seen crows mob both hawks and great horned owls but they have a particular hatred for the owls whom can pick them off at night.
Also, just about a year ago I saw 2 hawks in daylight freaking out the same way....around a great horned owl. Just generally harassing it. My guess is that they had a nest nearby.
I have had great horned owls in my neighborhood for years, typically 3-4 and so I see them getting into it with crows quite often and have also seen a pack of 7-8 blue jays do it on one occasion.
Great Horned owls have claws inches long, a grib like a linebacker and are deadly silent in flight. Their prey list includes pretty much most small mammals and birds including things like Raccoon and young alligators too. I'd not be surprised if that's where my neighbors cat disappeared to.
Male Great Horns are HUGE. I've seen them with a win spread betting mighty close to four foot. They put cat on the menu, regular like, if opportunity presents. Crows and ravens just hate owls and hawks, but I believe, also, they hate owls the worst. The owls pretty much have to stay landed, and take it, as well. Owls don't favor daytime flight much, and even if they did, crows and ravens can fly circles around them.
I've watched seagulls dive-bombing a bald eagle. The eagle just sat in the tree unfazed, but ducked when the seagulls dove too close. He eventually got bored and flew away. He could have grabbed them in his talons and eaten them for a snack. Weird.
When I was a kid I tried hunting crows for "sport". After I shot a few on the ground at our local dump they always flew away before I could get within with my .22 single shot rifle. I think they has posted lookouts for protection. Then I went back to shooting dump rats. They were an endless source of moving targets.
Male Great Horns are HUGE. I've seen them with a win spread betting mighty close to four foot. They put cat on the menu, regular like, if opportunity presents. Crows and ravens just hate owls and hawks, but I believe, also, they hate owls the worst. The owls pretty much have to stay landed, and take it, as well. Owls don't favor daytime flight much, and even if they did, crows and ravens can fly circles around them.
Yeah, I looked up the prey list for great horned owls and (dating myself) it looked like the list for the Tazmanian devil from the old bugs bunny cartoon.
Aardvarks, Antelopes.......etc.
Not sure how many people remember the cartoon, classic bugs bunny vs Taz.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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The answer is always Darwinism
Apparently small birds that attack predators at first site had a better survival rate than ones with a more passive attitude
It's really common and quite amusing. I've even seen vultures be attacked and they rarely threaten living birds
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