Crow attacking rabbit.

[BorderReiver]

First time for me; walking towards St Abbs Head, I saw a couple of herring gulls mobbing a crow on the ground. The crow chased them off and I saw his food "rolling" down the hill. The food got up and ran back up the hill, it was a young rabbit.

The crow was still trying to subdue the bunny as I walked away from it but I don't think it stood any chance of getting away.

As I say, this is the first time I've seen a crow taking live prey; is it common?

 

[andybysea]

When were you up at St Abbs head? 6 of us from forum were up there today, i live about 5mins drive from it,the hills round there a riddled with rabbit warren's never seen a crow go for one though. Maybe it was injured? ive seen crow attack a injured magpie once.

 

[Shewie]

I once watched a crow swoop down for what I think was a black weasel on a golf course. The weasel just came out of nowhere and started running across the open fairway, a crow came down from a nearby pine tree and tried to grab it. It left the ground briefly but managed to get away into some hawthorn bushes.

 

[_scorpio_]

pine marten?

 

[British Red]

Crows will kill young and weak. Or just eat them (killing optional). They'll go for young lambs - or anything else to fight em off.

Red

 

[C_Claycomb]

I saw a crow catch and kill a full grown starling once, on the pitch and putt golf course in Bath. Never seen something like that before or since. I can believe that they would go for a young rabbit, heck, everything else does.

 

[Andy BB]

Driving through a village in Tanzania a year or so ago, a red-tailed hawk swooped down and picked up one of the numerous chickens pecking along the side of the road. However, this was a street-wise chicken, and it launched a furious pecking attack on the hawk, which promptly dropped it and went in search of something less troublesome. The chicken fluttered to earth, and I swear he strutted along the road just like the proverbial cock of the walk!

(It also explains why the chicken curry I ate the night before was the texture of undercooked goat - tough cookies, those tanzanian chickens!)

 

[poddle]

I have seen a crow carrying a live toad in its claws.

It was about 100 ft in the air and the toad was making walking movements trying to escape, it was held around the shoulders and from behind, so had no chance.

 

[Weesi]

I've seen a couple of crows attacking a squirrel before.
I've also witnessed gulls picking up young rabbits too.

Simon

 

[Bushwhacker]

When I was working up Glastonbury I saw a crow having a pop at a hare in a stubble field.
They'll have a go at lots of things and they're always mobbing the buzzards.

 

[Bravo4]

I saw a raven take a house sparrow once, even seen one flying with a half-eaten cheeseburger, still partially in the wrapper.

Early one morning I witnessed a viscious battle between what I assume were 2 rival gangs in a territorial dispute. Maybe 30-40 Ravens in all,aerial combat, fighting in trees; the worst skirmish was on the ground where one bird was cornered and 3 of his enemies had him down. That particular assualt continued for just a minute before 2 of the wounded Raven's allies swooped in and drove the attackers off. It was too late, that Raven never left the field. His mates stayed with him in sort of a protective perimeter and within minutes the battle was over. It was an incredible site to witness.

I had to look this up: a group of Ravens is called an "unkindness".

 

[poddle]

I've seen a couple of crows attacking a squirrel before.
I've also witnessed gulls picking up young rabbits too.

Simon

Gulls will also swoop down and take ducklings

 

[Ph34r]

Not unusual, i have seen crows 'charge' many a time.

 

[BorderReiver]

Thanks folks, I'll try not to walk around with my eyes shut in future.

 

[British Red]

I don't believe you have been walking with your eyes shut BR. Lots of things would colour whether you have seen it or not. The presence of crows, suitable prey, other food sources etc.

I was recently sat in a meeting in a FTSE 100 company with a person I knew to be a keen wildlife photographer. I enquired whether they ahd ever seen a crow mob a buzzard. "no" they replied "could you tell me how to see that?"

"Look behind you" I replied. There, from a meeting room window, over woods behind their office, was a crow, dive bombing a buzzard.

Made me laugh

 

[hurplegrappers]

I know it's not live prey but still pretty weird. I was with a friend at a lake fishing and as he was setting up his rod a crow swooped down and took his reel.. OK it was a small reel but man I was in stitches! Had to lend him my spare reel for the day