Garden

[drizzellla]

This afternoon a bunch of birds ganged up on a bird in our backyard. They make lots of noise while they were doing it. My husband said he thought the bird that was being attacked was young. After the attack my husband checked on the bird and it was still breathing. Later when he checked the bird was dead.

I looked up why birds would attack another bird and saw this - "Birds attack other birds primarily due to competition for mates and territory, defense against predators, and protection of offspring."

Since my husband thought the bird was young, I really don't think any of those reasons applied.There is plenty of bird food in our backyard. So there are numerous different types of birds all the time. And they seem to get along. They are all busy eating.

We have had birds attacked before but it was hawks, a fox and cats never other birds before - that we know of. Why would birds do it?

[sabatini]

@drizzellla, would you happen to know what kind of birds did the attacking? Were they a different type than the victim?

I know that grackles are attackers, & I even saw one grab a baby sparrow and stride around with it clutched in his claw, until he finally bit its head off. 

I can't stand grackles, though I get a bang out of some of their crazy antics and referee whistlings.

They've been coined 'devil birds'.

However, it's true that there are many reasons that birds attack others. One is if the victim bird is sickly.

Sick birds will often pretend they're OK, and perch while hanging on to dear life, until they fall off, dead. But better that than to be subjected to the pecking order.

[drizzellla]

@sabatini I did not see or hear the attack. I was told about it after it happened. My son heard it and told me.

He has been out since it happened. I will quiz him when he gets home.

[sabatini]

OK, @drizzellla. I'm interested to hear what he says.

[drizzellla]

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@sabatini wrote:

OK, @drizzellla. I'm interested to hear what he says.

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I am too

He went out to dinner with friends last night and then went to a program in Wind Gap, PA. It is at least an hour and a half away. He got home at 3:30 AM. Woke up and went to his friend's house for a cook out.

Not sure when he will be flying through our house again but I am going to ask him, eventually.

[sabatini]

@drizzellla, no worries. He sounds like my boys!

LOL, like mercury, nearly impossible to catch hold of.