I witnessed something curiously terrible today about nature

[made in china]

I was working on some home repairs when I noticed a big commotion going on in a tree between my home and the neighbors home.
Don't know what the name of the bird is, the rust-colored chest birds that are super common in the PNW....
It seems a nest was being attacked by a crow. Those birds tried to fight it off. And more of those rust colored birds showed up to help, it seems they cooperate to fight off predators. I didn't know that.
Unfortunately, the crow made off with a baby bird.
Then the most shocking thing occurred.
I was about 2 or 3 steps up on my ladder, when as the crow was flying away with the baby bird, one of the rust colored birds came right up to me, and I presume, "asked" me to help. It was the saddest thing, but also I was absolutely shocked that the bird would notice me and fly over to me to try and get my help. It got about 2 feet from me, it's wings partially deployed in a "shrug" and it's beak partially open looking straight at me and back over to the crow.

I gotta admit, for a split second I wanted to pop the crow with a .22, but we don't live in the sticks so that wasn't an option.

My neighbor actually saw the whole thing happen, including the bird coming to me. I told my wife and kid about it and they were "meh".

It was sad to see a baby bird get taken, I know it's "life"...but what really shocks me is that, for some reason, a common bird concluded that it should ask a human for help.

Oh, and crows are evil. I know their type kill sheep too. I get the whole "life" thing, but they still suck.

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[L84Cabo]

Think about how smart crows and ravens are. A lot of birds in general are really smart. Apparently your "rust-colored chest" bird is one of them. Like you, I realize it's the cycle of life. But what you described was very sad. Remember that you are part of that cycle of life too. Animals do help and cooperate with other animals at times. Whose to say you weren't put in that spot to help out the rust colored bird...not that you actually could. But there may be a next time when you can actually lend a hand.

Crows do kinda suck too. I don't inherently dislike them. But they are incredibly prolific breeders and very predatory against other birds. I remember growing up here in San Diego and you would never see crows. Now they are by far the most dominant bird around. And you definitely don't see as many of the other types of birds. Well except for the parrots. Those things really seem to be thriving. And they're pretty cool...albeit pretty squawky.

Godspeed little baby bird.

 

[Catfishmoon]

I am guessing that the "rust colored" birds are American Robins, it is interesting to see them seek help from a human... I have noticed when a bald eagle comes into an area where crows are, the crows band together and attempt to drive away the eagle out of fear the eagle will attack a young crow.

 

[Alexx1401]

Crows are both highly intelligent and very resourceful at finding food. On the grounds where I live we have a lot of critters and the crows seem to be top. Pair of Hawks hunt there now and then and the Crows will band together to harass the hell out of them. Hawks seem to ignore them mostly until they get a meal and the Crows seem to leave them alone after they make a kill. Guessing as long as its not another Crow they do not care. I have watched a crow go after a young squirrel a couple times which did surprise me. First time I saw it I was sure it could not be what it seemed but damned if the crow was not trying to catch one.

 

[arakboss]

Maybe the crow is just holding the baby bird for ransom?

 

[titsonritz]

Crows Lives Matter

 

[HA556]

 

[made in china]

I am guessing that the "rust colored" birds are American Robins, it is interesting to see them seek help from a human... I have noticed when a bald eagle comes into an area where crows are, the crows band together and attempt to drive away the eagle out of fear the eagle will attack a young crow.
View attachment 1205497

That's the kind of bird.

They seem to nest right next to our homes in my neighborhood. I wonder if the bird was "used to" us enough to be willing to get so close to me in desperation?

It makes me realize they are not as simple of a creature as I assumed. The fact that they could call other robins over who actually tried to help (I don't think they were family, there was 5-6 fully grown robins "dive bombing the crow, one of them even squared off to the crow) surprised me.

 

[pharmseller]

In Nature there is no right or wrong, only consequences.

I love that line.

 

[Member 34319]

I don't put it past a Robin to do what it did. They are pretty smart birds.

We get stink eyes from Robins all the time. We regularly have a few bird feeders going in our back yard. One usually has a blended mix that brings in about 10 different species including Robins. The robins are the funny ones as they will just sit on the fence right out from our dining table window and stink eye us while we eat if the feeders are currently empty.

 

[RicInOR]

Hummingbirds are demanding too.

 

[Alexx1401]

I don't put it past a Robin to do what it did. They are pretty smart birds.

We get stink eyes from Robins all the time. We regularly have a few bird feeders going in our back yard. One usually has a blended mix that brings in about 10 different species including Robins. The robins are the funny ones as they will just sit on the fence right out from our dining table window and stink eye us while we eat if the feeders are currently empty.

We feed a lot and I do mean a LOT of critters here. Some of them get quite tame. Some of the birds will feed while I am hanging a feeder back up seeming to not care about me. The humming birds are great for this. In winter When it freezes they are waiting for me when I get home from work and its still not fully light. Will feed from fresh feeder as I replace the frozen ones. Couple Mallards have found us now. The female was eating like no tomorrow when they first found us. Now they show up morning and evening to fill up before going back to their nest. They are to the point they are sitting there waiting for me to drive in after work and start to follow me from my car to the house waiting for breakfast. If the female survives she will return every spring now with her mate. Last time we had one doing this she came back for 6 seasons before we stopped seeing her. Every spring she would show up and the male with her would be very stand off at first while she ran strait too me for food.
Finally had one of the damn wild dogs go by the place last night. He tripped one of the alarms and I could see him from work. He made a beeline past the place though and did not even stop at the chickens. I keep a bunch of rabbits well fed that have started to run to me when they see me for just that reason. Figure they will (I hope) take the easy food and not try to eat what I do not want them to eat. Hoping the dogs and us can co exist since if not I will have to kill the wild dogs enough to get the message across.

 

[Alexx1401]

Hummingbirds are demanding too.

What I love is watching the air show of them fighting each other. I keep 4 or 5 feeders scattered around and they still are going at each other some times. No concept of un ending supply I guess.

 

[ob1]

It's tempting to get philosophical about your story @made in china .

Many of us seem to rank natures creatures in relation to our own values and needs;

Robin..pleasant sounding chirps, unassuming behavior, desireable to have around.

Crow.. Annoying cackle, makes a mess, predatory behavior. Flying rat, shoot when possible.

Shark..Potentially dangerous with an established record of attacks (see USS Indianpolis). Consumate predator. Shoot when possible.

Dolphin. Non threatening to humans and sedate. Anecdotal account's of them defending humans against predatory sharks. Leave 'em alone (despite the fact of them occasionally ending up in those "Chicken of the Sea" factory ships).

Mr Whiskers, household cat. Makes soothing purring sounds.warm and furry. When you let him outside he always returns with a gift for you...often a dead bird. No wait...uhh

 

[Ferryman]

Hang out on the waterfront some day and watch the crows dive bomb an Eagle to steal his salmon...

 

[Dungannon]

We used to have a wide variety of birds visiting our yard/trees: flickers, woodpeckers, robins, evening grosbeaks, house finches, wrens, blue jays, brown-headed cowbirds, hummingbirds, etc. Then, about four years ago the crows moved in and nearly all the birds disappeared from our back yard. Still have hummingbirds, and the occasional robin and blue jay, but that's it. Not unusual to have several squawking crows on the lawn or in the fir trees. Haven't seen the crows go after the resident squirrels or rabbits, but I suspect the neighbors' cats are their main menace.

 

[Catfishmoon]

Haven't seen the crows go after the resident squirrels or rabbits, but I suspect the neighbors' cats are their main menace.

We feed birds also, including peanuts which attracts crows and it is interesting to watch the interaction of crows and our healthy, adult cat. The crows make a loud ruckus anytime he is outside and will attempt to intimidate him, but they always maintain a safe distance between. I think they realize his potential to injure them to the point they could not fly.

 

[Alexx1401]

We feed birds also, including peanuts which attracts crows and it is interesting to watch the interaction of crows and our healthy, adult cat. The crows make a loud ruckus anytime he is outside and will attempt to intimidate him, but they always maintain a safe distance between. I think they realize his potential to injure them to the point they could not fly.

Most predators are smart. Smart enough to pick their battles. Where we live there are a few predators who could be a problem for our pets and chickens. Its one reason I feed the wildlife that is natural food. I tell the Wife the predators are FAR less likely to go after one of our dogs if they have easy eats. The wild dogs so far are either avoiding our house or going by very quick and not stopping. There is easy food they feel safer with. Just what I want. The pair of Hawks that feed on the land will get a LOT of attention from the Crows when one is hunting. Crows will raise hell and harass them but, they make damn sure to not actually go after the Hawk as they figure the fight would not end well for them. Sure its the same for your Cats. They will try to make noise and hope it maybe runs them off but they are not foolish enough to risk letting the cats get them. The few times I have seen a Crow take a swipe at one of the squirrels I have to guess they are testing. Looking for one that is sick or weak. They do not want to actually attack a healthy one as they could kill one to make a meal out of maybe, or maybe end up badly injured for trying.

 

[Mikej]

We have all of the small songbirds we ever had, AND a crow family. I'd estimate my bird habit at about $60.00 a month? Might be a little less in the late summer, when birds have more food in the wilds. Crows are protectors of the other birds too Our family of crows has been with us for going on four years. Two parents and their young from two years ago. Those three crows keep other crows away from their territory. They harass cat's away from our feeders. Heck, they harrase the cats when they're across the street. We've fed them long enough that they'll land on the fence and call for peanuts. In turn, I can call them when I'm taking food scraps out for them. Or, they'll see me and just be THERE, when I turn around. One of them is very fond of Wifey and "Buzzes" her when she walks to work, and comes around when she's outside on break and stands on the other end of the bench she sits on. The crows seem to appreciate human company. Sometimes, one, or both, will just sit on the overhead wires, truck canopy, near us. Not interested in food.

Personally, robins are a scourge in our book. They start their blaring annoyance at 4:00am in the summer when the windows are open. Sometimes from the fence just outside our bedroom window! As much as I watch/study the birds outside our window, I see personalities. Bushtits, chickadees, gold finches, lesser gold finches, bewick's wren, nuthatches', flickers, downy woodpeckers, house finches, white/gold crowned sparrows, towhee, scrub jay, mourning doves, ringed turtle doves, and other lesser seen I can't think of now. Robins are rude. They visit in winter for water when it's freezing and crap all around the bird bath.

We have a pair of scrub jays that have ben with us going on four years too. One day one of them was brave enough to come in the open garage door when we were siting out there, for peanuts laid on the table. After a couple days wifey got the jay to take a peanut from her hand. This will be the third year for that. She doesn't come to hand now as it's nesting season, but the rest of the year she will land on the deck and rap on something to get Wifey's attention for a peanut. Or I can go out a "Click" and if their not busy, one or both will come flying in for a peanut. That "click' calls the crows too. Just the other day on the deck the crow was getting a peanut. There has been competition from the jays on the deck. this time the crow got the peanut off the post just before the jay. The crow, being much bigger, has been intimidating the jay away. Not this time! That jay held it's ground and came back and attacked the crow, and she took off! It was something to see.

I enjoy the hell out of the birds. They're a heck of a lot better than the rude un-neighborly slobs I have living around me.

 

[made in china]

Crows are darn smart.

They'll be in the road, see oncoming traffic, and simply scoot over to the shoulder side of the fog line. It's like they understand lane markings.