Buzzards and Crows

[eybic]

My route to work takes me through some "countryside" near Binfield towards Twyford and a few times I've seen a couple of Buzzards (I think) sitting in very close proximity to a Murder of Crows (first time I've been able to use that in the right context) in a ploughed field.

The Raptors are concentrating on seemingly pulling stuff up from the mud but they are amongst at least 15 crows. Is this normal behaviour? I thought that perhaps the crows are taking the view that if they're sitting right next to them then the Buzzards aren't going to eat them?

I've seen it in a couple of fields.

Any ideas????

[Boosted LS1]

Buzzards are lazy birds so will eat anything edible on the ground. They won't hunt a Crow, in fact it's quite common to see Crows mobbing them.

[Trophy Husband]

We've got maybe ten pairs of buzzards in the valley below us. They are generally carrion so roadkill is on the menu. It's not uncommon to see a squished one on the lanes around me next to a rabbit or a squirrel. The crows will harass the buzzards in flight, it's good fun to watch.

[Thevet]

Crows are generally very irksome to crows, they don't like them. I've seen a buzzard pinned down by a bunch of 7-10 crows just because they were in the same feeding patch. Í've seen the bigger individual buzzard regularly pushed out by a group of cooperating crows. I've also seen a white crow, wonder if anyone else has?

[Dislip2001]

The crows you saw were probably rooks ! There is a saying that if you see a group of crows together there rooks and if you see a rook on its own it's a crow !!

[Boosted LS1]

Crows flock as well.

[PositronicRay]

Other birds will mob birds of prey.

In medieval times birds of prey were used as lure, tethered to the ground. When mobbed they'd throw a net over the whole lot.

If you're not sure they're Buzzards (probably are) they make a "me me me" sound

[Planet Claire]

Given the area you've seen them they could very well be Red Kites rather than Buzzards. You can tell by their tails, the Red Kits is forked whereas the Buzzard is more rounded/straight.

[eybic]

Thanks for the comments and interesting info. I don't think they are kites as they look too small (I see Kites regularly), they are only maybe 12-14 inches high. I've only seen them on the ground and drive past so can't hear if they are making any noise.

[Fastchas]

The buzzard isn't really a predatory bird like a sparrowhawk. It mostly feeds on carrion as stated above. Lazy feckers too. Most big birds like crows, magpies etc don't fear the buzzard as it's not that fast to swoop down or that agile in the air. it mostly soars, looking for pickings.

[daved]

Boosted LS1 said:

Buzzards are lazy birds so will eat anything edible on the ground. They won't hunt a Crow, in fact it's quite common to see Crows mobbing them.

Earth worms are a particular favourite which is why you often see Buzzards in ploughed fields. Worms must taste like meat to a Buzzard.

[oddman]

PositronicRay said:

In medieval times birds of prey were used as lure, tethered to the ground.

Still do

You can buy plastic owl decoys to pull the crows in

They are weird, weird birds. There's a tree opposite our house where a multi species (crows rooks magpies and jackdaws) 'parliament' meets regularly

[battered]

daved said:

Earth worms are a particular favourite which is why you often see Buzzards in ploughed fields. Worms must taste like meat to a Buzzard.

Worms *are* meat. They are just a collection of muscles. You can live on them if you have to. Indeed one of the Marines/Special Forces training exercises has them digging up worms and cooking them, usually after 2 days in the open, by which time the troops are starving and ready to eat anything.

I live in Leeds, we get red kites to the north of us. When I'm out in that area I often see crows ganging up in kites and chasing them out of their favourite feeding areas. It's really gratifying to see the kites sufficiently successful that the crows feel the need to chase them off.

I like crows, in fact all corvids. They're clever, resourceful and as hard as nails.

[Trophy Husband]

battered said:

Worms *are* meat. They are just a collection of muscles. You can live on them if you have to. Indeed one of the Marines/Special Forces training exercises has them digging up worms and cooking them, usually after 2 days in the open, by which time the troops are starving and ready to eat anything.

I live in Leeds, we get red kites to the north of us. When I'm out in that area I often see crows ganging up in kites and chasing them out of their favourite feeding areas. It's really gratifying to see the kites sufficiently successful that the crows feel the need to chase them off.

I like crows, in fact all corvids. They're clever, resourceful and as hard as nails.

My father had a pet crow on the farm as a kid. It could talk. He also had a pet goose called Iorwerth after my taid. Iorwerth had a wooden leg. The bird not my taid. My dad's taid had a wooden leg though. Lost it in a quarry accident. His real leg, not the wooden one.