[Birdtalk] Predator vs. Prey in my backyard

[John Morgan]

Dave,
I enjoyed your report. One wonders why, if Magpies are so intelligent, they 
continue to heckle dangerous predators. Perhaps they're conditioned, like so 
many of our own race, to push the limits and do stupid things? Maybe the 
birds are more like us than we'll ever know.

I can hear my own teenage kids (years ago) saying "Well, I didn't think that 
would happen." I'm thinking of my oldest son who rolled a truck at age 17. 
Nobody was hurt but the truck died. Seems when a truck goes sideways down a 
bumpy dirt road, it has a tendency to roll.
John
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dave Slager" <dave.slager at gmail.com>
To: "Bird Talk" <birdtalk at utahbirds.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 7:16 PM
Subject: [Birdtalk] Predator vs. Prey in my backyard


> Hope some of you will enjoy this one...
>
> My wife and I had a pretty cool sighting this morning just outside our
> apartment on the University of Utah campus. I saw flying across the
> lawn what appeared to be a large bird whose silhouette resembled a
> rooster pheasant--it was flying low and direct with a long tail and
> rapid wingbeats.  As it came nearer it became apparent that it was not
> one bird but two--an immature Cooper's Hawk carrying a Black-billed
> Magpie in its talons.  The long tail of the magpie was trailing way
> behind the hawk.  The hawk with the magpie (of about the same size!)
> landed no more than 20 yards from my wife and I,  the magpie still
> struggling to escape.  The Coop sat there for a while, probably
> finishing the job, and then flew out of sight without too much
> struggle, still carrying the magpie.  The local magpies were going
> crazy mobbing the hawk; the magpie must have made quite a nice meal
> for the youngster Coop.  Too bad I didn't have my camera or
> binoculars!
>
> Keep your eyes open,
>
> Dave Slager
> Salt Lake City
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