Crows V. Buzzard

[RiffRaff 10]

Just post dawn this morning, I spent a fascinating few minutes watching a pair of crows relentlessly harrying a sole common buzzard.
All very noisy, all at low level, all very determined.
Considering the size difference - especially with that beak and those talons - I'm amazed the buzzard didn't retaliate.
It's not the first time I've witnessed something like this, but usually it's at a distance, so to see it 'close up' was amazing.
One crow in particular was very aggressive, actually managing to collide with the buzzard in mid-air on several occasions - but still no fight-back.
Eventually they disappeared from view, but from the noise the attack was still ongoing...

[smithy266 21]

Yep, it is something we see occasionally...quite a few buzzards live around these parts..

[RiffRaff 10]

4 minutes ago, smithy266 said:

Yep, it is something we see occasionally...quite a few buzzards live around these parts..

Yup, you're right! Quite a few round here....(and as I live about half a mile from where you do, I suspect they're the same ones!) ;-)

Happy New Year!

[Longcol 592]

Interesting post - thank you - used to see similar down Rivelin Valley whem I lived in Sheffield. The crow's beak is a pretty formidable weapon as well!

 

Where I live in France I see the same happening regularly (especially in spring) over a couple of copses a couple of  hundred yards from my house where crows nest - buzzards are very common here. Kites (black more common than red) are also nigh on daily visitors to the area but never seen crows attack / mob them - perhaps because kites don't raid nests?

[charliewag 19]

There are buzzards around the ponds I fish at Thurgoland and it's quite common to see a lone one being mobbed by crows. It's a different story when the buzzard's mate decides to join in though.

[tinfoilhat 11]

1 hour ago, Longcol said:

Interesting post - thank you - used to see similar down Rivelin Valley whem I lived in Sheffield. The crow's beak is a pretty formidable weapon as well!

 

Where I live in France I see the same happening regularly (especially in spring) over a couple of copses a couple of  hundred yards from my house where crows nest - buzzards are very common here. Kites (black more common than red) are also nigh on daily visitors to the area but never seen crows attack / mob them - perhaps because kites don't raid nests?

I saw crows mobbing a red kite at beaconsfield services, went on quite while. Fighting  over food maybe - But there was plenty about.

[RiffRaff 10]

9 hours ago, tinfoilhat said:

I saw crows mobbing a red kite at beaconsfield services, went on quite while. Fighting  over food maybe - But there was plenty about.

I've yet to (knowingly) see a red kite other than on TV.  From what I've read, numbers are on the rise in a lot of areas...

It's only when you're lucky enough to see one of our birds of prey "close up" that you realise just how big they are - your kite can have a 6 foot wingspan!

[alchresearch 212]

I've seen the same, two magpies defending the nest tree from a bird of prey.

[Longcol 592]

12 hours ago, RiffRaff said:

I've yet to (knowingly) see a red kite other than on TV.  From what I've read, numbers are on the rise in a lot of areas...

It's only when you're lucky enough to see one of our birds of prey "close up" that you realise just how big they are - your kite can have a 6 foot wingspan!

A couple of years ago we were camping in the Jonte Gorge in the south of the Massif Central in France. When we were in the campsite pool we looked up and saw vultures circling overhead - it felt a bit ominous............... They are re-introducing them to the area - there was a feeding place for them a few miles up the valley - there must have been ay least 30 when we stopped and looked. They have a wingspan of about 9 feet!

[RiffRaff 10]

On 03/01/2020 at 21:39, Longcol said:

A couple of years ago we were camping in the Jonte Gorge in the south of the Massif Central in France. When we were in the campsite pool we looked up and saw vultures circling overhead - it felt a bit ominous............... They are re-introducing them to the area - there was a feeding place for them a few miles up the valley - there must have been ay least 30 when we stopped and looked. They have a wingspan of about 9 feet!

Wow.

Not the place to eat your fish and chips!

;-)