Buzzards

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Bian

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I have just seen a mob of Mapies (with at least one Crow) mobbing a Buzzard and the poor Buzzard could not gain any height, in fact it looked like it was just being forced to escape them. Is this usual behaviour or is it likely that the Buzzard has raided a nest and the angry crowd is justifiable ?

I like to watch Buzzards as they are gracefull, and have a particular dislike for Magpies - especially after recently watching them cowardly attacking a grey squirrel that was badly injured. Dont get me wrong, I know that greys bring their own problems, but it was sickening watching them, or am I just being insensitive to nature's natural processes ?
 
Nature is just a protein chain that we sit near the very top of, everything out there is protein for something else, we attach sentiments to what we do, nature doesnt see it that way, what we deem cruel and evil is just another creature getting a meal and providing for its young.
Often see crows, jackdaws and Magpies harassing Red Kites and Gulls round my way... the muted and gulls will take eggs and chicks, much the same way Corvids do to smaller bird species 🤷🏼‍♂️, it's just nature trying to survive.
 
Mark Palmer said:
Nature is just a protein chain that we sit near the very top of, everything out there is protein for something else, we attach sentiments to what we do, nature doesnt see it that way, what we deem cruel and evil is just another creature getting a meal and providing for its young.
Often see crows, jackdaws and Magpies harassing Red Kites and Gulls round my way... the muted and gulls will take eggs and chicks, much the same way Corvids do to smaller bird species 🤷🏼‍♂️, it's just nature trying to survive.
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Yep predators keep the pray species strong by weeding out the weak before they can breed. When a species has no natural predators it becomes weak .
 
Totally normal behaviour, that. Magpies and crows are well known for ganging up on birds of prey, especially if they think there’s a threat nearby. The buzzard might not have done anything—just flying low can set them off. If it had taken a chick or raided a nest, though, the mobbing would’ve been even more aggressive.

Buzzards, despite their size, are often outmaneuvered by smaller, faster birds during these confrontations. They’re built more for soaring than for agile dogfights. So it’s not unusual to see one being harassed like that, barely managing to escape.

Magpies are clever but ruthless. Nothing wrong with rooting for the buzzard. I know i would too.
 
Different subject, but not. Came out to go to work couple of weeks back, and noticed a load of crows swooping low at the end of the road..about to turn my car around when this small scruffy looking fox came toitling past with what appeared to be a large black bird in its mouth. The crows kept swarking and swooping e ery where it went, fox didn't give a hoot.
 
S1000xr said:
Different subject, but not. Came out to go to work couple of weeks back, and noticed a load of crows swooping low at the end of the road..about to turn my car around when this small scruffy looking fox came toitling past with what appeared to be a large black bird in its mouth. The crows kept swarking and swooping e ery where it went, fox didn't give a hoot.
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Probably just snatched up a fledgling and hightailing it away from all the aggravation 👍
 
It's normal for corvids to mob predators. In just the last couple of days I've seen a lone crow harassing a buzzard close to my house, and a bunch of jackdaws having a go at an owl in a tree across the road from home.
 
As a falconer for many years i kept a very large grumpy female buzzard (lucia).Every day after work i would release her from the garden to have a fly around.She habitually used to immediately fly to a tele pole about 100 metres away across a field to have a good look around.She was like a crow magnet,they just appeared and noisily flew around her.When too many arrived i’d whistle her back.One day she was on the post when a very brave/foolish crow was just over her back by inches so i called her back and this crow came too inches above,half way back the buzzard spun upside down and out came the foot,she raked the crow with her back talon,out came a puff of black feathers and it was dead before it hit the floor,the breast split wide open.It just shows they really can deal with crows if they need to,they can be very quick and can out jink a rabbit at times,lucia had quite a tally of bunnies in her time.
 
Alanw said:
As a falconer for many years i kept a very large grumpy female buzzard (lucia).Every day after work i would release her from the garden to have a fly around.She habitually used to immediately fly to a tele pole about 100 metres away across a field to have a good look around.She was like a crow magnet,they just appeared and noisily flew around her.When too many arrived i’d whistle her back.One day she was on the post when a very brave/foolish crow was just over her back by inches so i called her back and this crow came too inches above,half way back the buzzard spun upside down and out came the foot,she raked the crow with her back talon,out came a puff of black feathers and it was dead before it hit the floor,the breast split wide open.It just shows they really can deal with crows if they need to,they can be very quick and can out jink a rabbit at times,lucia had quite a tally of bunnies in her time.
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A common Buzzard can get by if it wants too and I've never doubted the accuracy of any shortwings claw when it wants to have a dab.
 
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