Angry birds are angry!

alfaniner · 14th August 2012, 09:36 AM

I was really curious as to what caused this commotion (it becomes clear at the end.) I was concerned about investigating any closer for fear it may have been ground zero for bird flu or something.

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I AGREE

calebprime · 14th August 2012, 09:52 AM

My old computer turns YouTube into a near slide-show, it's missing so many frames.

Was that a hawk I saw? I heard two crows scolding, then saw what appeared to be a dead crow.

A hawk can make a short meal of a smaller bird, so the smaller birds gang up on hawks and harass and attack them. Maybe a crow got killed by a hawk?

(This is going off of sound, mostly.)

Oh, if the crows are just reacting to a dead crow, that would make sense also.

jasonpatterson · 14th August 2012, 11:01 AM

If I had to guess, either a cat or a hawk killed a crow and the other crows are scolding it.

monoman · 14th August 2012, 11:28 AM

What commotion?

I may be missing something but it looked like a few birds flying and squawking.

Skeptic Ginger · 14th August 2012, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by alfaniner

I was really curious as to what caused this commotion (it becomes clear at the end.) I was concerned about investigating any closer for fear it may have been ground zero for bird flu or something.

YouTube Video This video is not hosted by the JREF. The JREF can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website.

I AGREE

I can't follow what's on that video, but the crows around here tag team the hawks all the time. They dive at the enemy and chase it relentlessly until I assume it goes far enough away. I've seen crows chase a hawk at least a mile. Whenever the hawk landed in a tree they kept harassing it, it would take off again, the attack continued, and this went on and on until I could no longer keep up watching the event.

Wowbagger · 14th August 2012, 12:02 PM

Maybe the stupid pigs stole their eggs. Some of them could be flinging themselves at the pig's hideouts. But, unfortunately, some of them miss.

Quietus · 17th August 2012, 01:58 PM

Can't see video, but gulls, crows and drongos frequently mob or harass predators; I've seen a single crow chase a sparrowhawk away from its meal and ravens harass raptors as large as eagles and vultures. based on other comments, this sounds like what happaned.

Greedo · 17th August 2012, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by monoman

What commotion?

I may be missing something but it looked like a few birds flying and squawking.

I had the same reaction. I've seen real bird fights, especially during breeding season. In flight biting and such. If there was a predator that killed the bird, they might have been warning other birds.

alfaniner · 17th August 2012, 10:00 PM

It was just odd to me in that it rarely happens around here, and the birds were flitting from tree to tree in a state of agitation.

yomero · 17th August 2012, 11:04 PM

Several years ago, a long-tailed grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus), built her nest on a tall pecan tree in front of our house. 2 new birds were born. One of the nestlings fell from the nest and died from the crash. Our Irish setter dog, ''Gizmo'', went to investigate sniffing the dead bird. That was all the evidence the mother needed to know who was guilty. ''Gizmo'' was the killer. From then on, every time that ''Gizmo'' walked on our front yard, the adult grackle would position herself on a high branch, with spread wings, cackling non-stop, moving from branch to branch in order to keep facing the dog. ''Gizmo'' felt it was beneath his dignity to acknowledge the racket. Whenever the dog moved to an open space, the grackle would gain altitude and dive like a W.W. II airplane, repeatedly, to peck ''Gizmo's'' head. After about 5 days, the remaining nestling also fell and died. That was the worst, noisest day. It all ended completely the next day.

ETA:There were many other dogs in our neighborhood, but they were ignored. ''Gizmo'' was the only one to merit the bird's attention.

alfaniner · 18th August 2012, 05:25 AM

Oh, yeah. It also reminded me of that one movie. Can't quite think of the name right now but it had a delightful little "Wibbledy Wobbledy" song in it.

Now now now.

Dancing David · 18th August 2012, 06:07 AM

Originally Posted by alfaniner

It was just odd to me in that it rarely happens around here, and the birds were flitting from tree to tree in a state of agitation.

Well, crows often mob all sorts of predators, and are mobbed in return by song birds. It sort of sounds like more of what I call a gathering, as I don't hear the sharp call that crows seem to make when mobbing. (I heard it once in the video, it is a set of sharp calls). I have seen many great owls and hawks thanks to crows mobbing them.

They seem to making the call I have heard when it appears to groups are meeting, sometimes fighting each other.

These are totally informal ideas of mine that come from crow watching for many years.

14th August 2012, 09:52 AM	#2
calebprime Somewhat Elitist Parasite Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 7,750	My old computer turns YouTube into a near slide-show, it's missing so many frames. Was that a hawk I saw? I heard two crows scolding, then saw what appeared to be a dead crow. A hawk can make a short meal of a smaller bird, so the smaller birds gang up on hawks and harass and attack them. Maybe a crow got killed by a hawk? (This is going off of sound, mostly.) Oh, if the crows are just reacting to a dead crow, that would make sense also.
	__________________ Mr. DeBakey's free, but he's a little bit conciliatory. Last edited by calebprime; 14th August 2012 at 09:58 AM.

14th August 2012, 11:01 AM	#3
jasonpatterson Philanthropic Misanthrope Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Space, The Final Frontier Posts: 2,180	If I had to guess, either a cat or a hawk killed a crow and the other crows are scolding it.
	__________________ Sandra's seen a leprechaun, Eddie touched a troll, Laurie danced with witches once, Charlie found some goblins' gold. Donald heard a mermaid sing, Susie spied an elf, But all the magic I have known I've had to make myself. - Shel Silverstein

14th August 2012, 11:28 AM	#4
monoman Master baiter - I fish! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Bulgaria Posts: 967	What commotion? I may be missing something but it looked like a few birds flying and squawking.
	__________________ Where memory fails, thought prevails.

14th August 2012, 12:02 PM	#6
Wowbagger The Infinitely Prolonged Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Westchester County, NY (when not in space) Posts: 13,505	Maybe the stupid pigs stole their eggs. Some of them could be flinging themselves at the pig's hideouts. But, unfortunately, some of them miss.
	__________________ WARNING: Phrases in this post may sound meaner than they were intended to be. SkeptiCamp NYC: http://www.skepticampnyc.org/ An open conference on science and skepticism, where *you* could be a presenter! By the way, my first name is NOT Bowerick!!!!

17th August 2012, 01:58 PM	#7
Quietus Scholar Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 86	Can't see video, but gulls, crows and drongos frequently mob or harass predators; I've seen a single crow chase a sparrowhawk away from its meal and ravens harass raptors as large as eagles and vultures. based on other comments, this sounds like what happaned.
Quietus Scholar Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 86

17th August 2012, 04:37 PM	#8
Greedo Graduate Poster Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 1,568	Originally Posted by monoman What commotion? I may be missing something but it looked like a few birds flying and squawking. I had the same reaction. I've seen real bird fights, especially during breeding season. In flight biting and such. If there was a predator that killed the bird, they might have been warning other birds.
Greedo Graduate Poster Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 1,568	__________________ "Persuade thyself that imperfection and inconvenience are the natural lot of mortals and there will be no room for discontent, neither for despair." -T.I.

17th August 2012, 10:00 PM	#9
alfaniner Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Sorth Dakonsin Posts: 11,379	It was just odd to me in that it rarely happens around here, and the birds were flitting from tree to tree in a state of agitation.
	__________________ Science doesn't lie.

17th August 2012, 11:04 PM	#10
yomero Muse Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: North of here South of there Posts: 931	Several years ago, a long-tailed grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus), built her nest on a tall pecan tree in front of our house. 2 new birds were born. One of the nestlings fell from the nest and died from the crash. Our Irish setter dog, ''Gizmo'', went to investigate sniffing the dead bird. That was all the evidence the mother needed to know who was guilty. ''Gizmo'' was the killer. From then on, every time that ''Gizmo'' walked on our front yard, the adult grackle would position herself on a high branch, with spread wings, cackling non-stop, moving from branch to branch in order to keep facing the dog. ''Gizmo'' felt it was beneath his dignity to acknowledge the racket. Whenever the dog moved to an open space, the grackle would gain altitude and dive like a W.W. II airplane, repeatedly, to peck ''Gizmo's'' head. After about 5 days, the remaining nestling also fell and died. That was the worst, noisest day. It all ended completely the next day. ETA:There were many other dogs in our neighborhood, but they were ignored. ''Gizmo'' was the only one to merit the bird's attention.
	__________________ And although I'm not often ''amazed'' these days, I am frequently appalled, but that may be simply because reality keeps upping the ante.- ''The Word Detective'', Evan Morris. Last edited by yomero; 17th August 2012 at 11:16 PM.

18th August 2012, 05:25 AM	#11
alfaniner Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Sorth Dakonsin Posts: 11,379	Oh, yeah. It also reminded me of that one movie. Can't quite think of the name right now but it had a delightful little "Wibbledy Wobbledy" song in it. Now now now.
	__________________ Science doesn't lie.

18th August 2012, 06:07 AM	#12
Dancing David Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 34,702	Originally Posted by alfaniner It was just odd to me in that it rarely happens around here, and the birds were flitting from tree to tree in a state of agitation. Well, crows often mob all sorts of predators, and are mobbed in return by song birds. It sort of sounds like more of what I call a gathering, as I don't hear the sharp call that crows seem to make when mobbing. (I heard it once in the video, it is a set of sharp calls). I have seen many great owls and hawks thanks to crows mobbing them. They seem to making the call I have heard when it appears to groups are meeting, sometimes fighting each other. These are totally informal ideas of mine that come from crow watching for many years.
	__________________ Hell, dynamiting fish in a barrel is more challenging. - Ladewig I suspect you are a sandwich, metaphorically speaking. -Donn And a shot rang out. Now Space is doing time... -Ben Burch You built the toilet - don't complain when people crap in it. _Kid Eager