Does mobbing ever result in a fatality?

[Macswede]

I was photographing ducks and geese in central Stockholm yesterday when my fiancée drew my attention to a female Sparrowhawk that being chased by a pair of Hooded Crows. She said that the hawk had just launched an unsuccessful attack on a Magpie. The Sparrowhawk didn't seem too concerned but this reminded me of an event I witnessed during the autumn when stuck in a traffic jam on the way to work.
I saw a male Sparrow Hawk being mobbed by a fair-sized flock of Magpies and Hooded Crows. The little fellow was putting on a dazzling display of flying techniques but seemed unable to shake off his pursuers and I found myself wondering how things would turn out. Landing didn't seem like an option as he would be very vulnerable to attack if stuck in a tree and even more so on the ground, and it looked as if there were too many birds chasing him for him to be able to shake them off. I didn't see what finally happened as the traffic suddenly started moving again but I found myself wondering whether mobbing of a bird of prey ever results in a fatality. I am well aware that this is not the normal outcome.
Graham

[GDC]

From what I've been told and read most of the time the birds doing the mobbing are satisfied once the raptor has left the area the birds are trying to protect. Once in a while I suppose there is a death, but I think the birds main goal is to get the raptor away.

[lockbreeze926]

Alternatively - does the raptor being mobbed ever turn on the mobbers and attack them, (in defense, as it were)?

It wouldn't be in its mind to do so, of course, but can circumstances ever cause it to act out of character?

[Dave B Smith]

A recent article in Birder's World (Dec. 2005) talks about why birds mob Birds of Prey and what the normal consequences are. As noted, usually when the threat (Bird of Prey) leaves the area, the others are satisfied. However it did point out that a number of times the mobbers suffered injury or death when the BOP turned on them. One example given was a Great Horned Owl just grabbing a mobbing crow with it's foot and then flying off with it for a presumed meal in peace and quite.

[Tiger_mz]

I was photographing ducks and geese in central Stockholm yesterday when my fiancée drew my attention to a female Sparrowhawk that being chased by a pair of Hooded Crows. She said that the hawk had just launched an unsuccessful attack on a Magpie. The Sparrowhawk didn't seem too concerned but this reminded me of an event I witnessed during the autumn when stuck in a traffic jam on the way to work.
I saw a male Sparrow Hawk being mobbed by a fair-sized flock of Magpies and Hooded Crows. The little fellow was putting on a dazzling display of flying techniques but seemed unable to shake off his pursuers and I found myself wondering how things would turn out. Landing didn't seem like an option as he would be very vulnerable to attack if stuck in a tree and even more so on the ground, and it looked as if there were too many birds chasing him for him to be able to shake them off. I didn't see what finally happened as the traffic suddenly started moving again but I found myself wondering whether mobbing of a bird of prey ever results in a fatality. I am well aware that this is not the normal outcome.
Graham
Yes I have heard of a possible example. When ospreys are approaching the north coast of Spain after a long flight they are often mobbed by gulls. In some circumstances this causes the osprey to be forced into the water.

Such a fate may have happened to a juvenile osprey in 2000. This bird was satellite tracked.

See: http://www.ospreys.org.uk/AWOP/BirdT09.htm

[Macswede]

Yes I have heard of a possible example. When ospreys are approaching the north coast of Spain after a long flight they are often mobbed by gulls. In some circumstances this causes the osprey to be forced into the water.

Such a fate may have happened to a juvenile osprey in 2000. This bird was satellite tracked.

See: http://www.ospreys.org.uk/AWOP/BirdT09.htm

Had a look at the website. Very interesting. Reminds me a bit of a story I heard in Scotland from a man who told me he had seen a pair of Ospreys forcing a Heron that had come too close to the nest down into the water where it remained upright for a short time before gradually becoming waterlogged and sinking. Of course in that story it wasn't the Osprey that was the victim.

I think what started me thinking about fate of the the male Sparrowhawk was that it was smaller than any of the individual birds mobbing it and there were an awful lot of them. It seemed desperate to escape but they wouldn't let it. Of course I didn't see the final outcome so maybe they tired of the sport and let the hawk fly off. I'd like to think so.
Graham

[wolfbirder]

A warden manning the lake district golden eagle site told me a female peregrine got too close to one of the last pair, and was killed. So the mobbers do have to be careful.

[The Barn Owl]

I remember a BBC(?) program a couple of years ago where they showed, I think, a captive goldie and fixed cameras onto each wing. It was quickly mobbed by a few crows and in retaliation the eagle twisted in the air and bared its talons at the crows. The presenters described that as ordinary behaviour, but it rarely goes further.
SAM

[samuel walker]

Curious when seen for the first time. The power of a raptor with powerful talons running from the like of a crow, The large raptors especially redtailed hawks and eagles in my corners. After awhile you realize the bigger bird is not that mobile in flight and it's better to use his faster straightline speed to run and climb.I have seen smaller more nimble acipiters and falcons fight back. Specifically sharpshinned hawks being mobbed by blue jays and fkickers working inconcert (7 birds total). The sharpie looked like he got pretty close to drawing blood as he flew rings around them. That hawk did end up running.
Sam

[snowdragon]

when i was out last sunday,i was able to watch a kestrel being mobbed by 4 or 5 magpies.the kestrel got away due to the magpies loosing interest.the thing that surprised me most was how manuverable the magpies were,and how quickly they could turn for a second attack.reading through the threads of knowledge on this page reminded me of a time one of our local buzzards was being mobbed.the buzzard in question flipped over in mid air grabbing one of its attackers.the poor old crow was left flapping behind it for a while then either got away,or was released.this is the only time i have seen this happen,and it left me holding my breath in amazement.

[lvn600]

[QUOTE]Specifically sharpshinned hawks being mobbed by blue jays and fkickers working inconcert (7 birds total). -That is interesting. When I was vacationing on a lake in October I also saw Jays and a Flicker battling for position with a Sharp-shinned hawk on the top of a tree and thought it was kind of an unusual grouping.

[SMC2002]

Very interesting thread :-) I see this quite often, usually redwing blackbirds or crows chasing a raptor. What I have seen, usually agrees with Dave's comment about them backing off once the threat has left their territory. Which is often a nesting area also.

Speaking of nesting. In recent weeks I have witnessed multiple incidents of harassment of Vutures and Redtails by White Tailed Kites. I never thought about it, but I guess the instinct is the same as with non-raptors. If a threat appears, drive it off. Especially true during breeding/nesting season. I'd be interested to know whether this kind of behaviour, raptor versus raptor, is often seen?

I have tried to get some shots of these attacks but the timing has to be perfect and I have never been known for my perfect timing ;-) These are the closest I've been able to come to a "contact shot" to date. It's hard enough just to get both of them in the frame with any detail...lol



Steve

[samuel walker]

The ever gentle sandhill crane will not be tolerated by nesting redwing blackbirds I have seen several incidents of them diving at the head as it struts along. Great blue herons are treated the same way.
Sam

[delia todd]

I remember a programme a few years ago about Redwings mobbing predators. They cr*pped on them as a group which killed the predator eventually.

D

[Andrew Rowlands]

I remember a programme a few years ago about Redwings mobbing predators. They cr*pped on them as a group which killed the predator eventually.
Hmm - I thought Fieldfares did that Delia, not Redwing ...

Cheers,

Andy.

[delia todd]

Hmm - I thought Fieldfares did that Delia, not Redwing ...

Cheers,

Andy.

Oh dear! I stand corrected Andy.

Well it was a long time ago and you know I have memory problems :-C

D

[Jos Stratford]

Hmm - I thought Fieldfares did that Delia, not Redwing ...
.


Na na, Andy, it was that darn Welsh TV channel. You were watching the version on S4C, they substituted the Redwing as it clashed with their red dragon. ;)

[delia todd]

Na na, Andy, it was that darn Welsh TV channel. You were watching the version on S4C, they substituted the Redwing as it clashed with their red dragon. ;)


Of course, knew I was right.:'D

Thank you Jos

D