Why should an eagle mob a leopard? (1 Viewer)

This is the first paragraph of the newest paper in the ejournal Ornithological Observations.

On 1 August 2012 whilst observing a pair of Verreaux’s Eagles
Aquila verreauxii in the Cederberg Mountains I noted an unusually
short and repetitive dive being performed at first by one of the pair of
eagles. The eagles were present on arrival at the kloof at 09:00
which was a known active nest site although both of the recently
hatched chicks had died on 21 July due to prolonged rain. At 9:40
one eagle dived repeatedly at one spot and within two minutes the
second eagle also joined in swooping to ground level and rising up.
Closer inspection with a spotting scope revealed a leopard Panthera
pardus walking through the bushes, it occasionally ducked as if to
avoid a strike. Otherwise, the leopard paid little attention to the
eagles and continued to walk along the slope of the mountain (away
from the nest cliff). By 09:50 the eagles had abandoned their
mobbing attempt and were seen flying towards the nest with a twig.

The paper, by ADU/UCT PhD student Meg Murgatroyd, asks the question, why do this? It is the first paper in the 2013 volume, and you can download it from http://oo.adu.org.za/content.php?vol=4 --- the URL for the ejournal is at http://oo.adu.org.za

That must have been a good time for the observer!. In raptor such actions are not excepcional. Usually are related when a territory is defended. I've seen in different years how the same female peregrine is extremely agresive with sheperd dogs who come, whilst working, close the nest site. By the way, an squirrell never would be able to climb there. One of the most spectacular scenes birds have ever show me took place when a golden eagle started to harass a group of deers, the attack becomes aimed to a big stag with dissapeared running out of our field of vision. I was with a retired gamekeeper who was as surprised as me.

Fernando

I wondered the same when I saw a number of crows (10+) mobbing a fox, maybe it's competition for food?

It seems to occur between most predators, there is good reason to let any inexperienced birds know that there is a predator around

It is not rare among raptors.

Mobbing in general has double purpose - to make predator avoid given area (predator loses the element of surprise, cannot concentrate on hunting, may be given away to even more powerful enemy etc) and to teach young the enemy.

And certainly great observation!

Got a photo a few years ago of a rather shocked Red Fox which had been buzzed by a Buzzard when it was checking out rabbit holes. The Buzzard swooped when the Fox's back was turned.