View Full Version : The Hawk and the Crow(s)


PRBuzz
10-23-2009, 04:58 PM
Just watched some interesting avian behavior:

A hawk, likely a red tail as I caught a glimpse of bronze on the tail, flys over and perches in a tall oak. Later I notice what looks like an active squirrel's nest in the next tree easily observed by the hawk.

About 30 seconds later a solitary crow flies over and makes several menacing dives at the hawk. The crow flies off.

Seconds later, 7 crows appear from the direction that the solitary crow left. Several crows make a couple menacing dives at the hawk. Crows fly off.

Seconds later what appears to be another group of crows enter the area (from the direction opposite that which the 7 crows left). Several take roost in a large white pine about a hundred feet from the perching hawk.

The hawk starts getting nervous (my interpretation) and takes a low flight path out of the area. I do not see any crows in chase.

Within the next minute or so the sky and pine perch are filled with over 30 crows. They hang around for a few minutes and then all fly off. The skies are quite again.

I do notice a ruffling of leaves coming from the squirrel nest as it readies for a long, good night's sleep.

Peace has returned to the wilds of Brockton (at least the 1/2 acre of trees behind my house).

striperman36
10-23-2009, 06:03 PM
dem black things are smart and do communicate
Why is it every history book about European battles talk about the crows congregating at time of battle? Dinner!

tynan19
10-23-2009, 06:14 PM
The hawk was probably threatening a crow's nesting area.

Raven
10-24-2009, 03:18 AM
it was a murder

justplugit
10-24-2009, 11:30 AM
When ever you hear a bunch of crows making a racket,
they are usually either harassing a hawk or their mortal enemy
the owl.

I've also seen them after baby squirrels in large groups too.

I had a small screech owl, "Hooty", and a pet crow, "Joe" when
i was younger and they never did get along. :doh: Hooty was in a large screened
cage, Joe was always free and wouldn't leave the neighborhood.
However every morning he would sit in the maple tree above the
owl's cage and squawk for 10-15 minutes. :)

Slammer223
10-24-2009, 04:44 PM
Ben Franklin said that if men were birds not many would get to be crows.