AlanHo Posted August 3, 2005 Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 I don't suppose my experience is anyway near unique - but I saw something in the garden this morning which surprised and fascinated me.A sparrowhawk snatched a great tit from off one of our bird feeders and dropped onto the lawn to pluck and eat it. Not a pretty sight - but a regular one. It sometimes grabs a pidgeon - a bird almost as big as itself. We have got used to seeing this murderer invade the garden.What came as a surprise was to see two magpies swoop down and attack the sparrowhawk - clearly after its prey. This went on for a minute or so before the sparrowhawk got fed up with being harrassed and flew off with the tit in its feet - to be persued by the two magpies who carried on their assault in mid air. Unfortunately they vanished into the trees at the end of the garden and I was not able to see the outcome.This is probably a regular occurence - but not one I have ever seen before - perhaps because I am a city lad and not a country bumpkin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expertec Posted August 3, 2005 Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 We live not far from a very large park with plenty of wildlife, so we get things like that here too.A few weeks ago a buzzard swooped into our garden, killed one of our resident blackbirds and went off with it. :blink: We also have a pair magpies living next door that are a :censored: nuisance!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted August 3, 2005 Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 Magpies seen to kill for the fun of it. I remember a few years ago I saw a pair of blackbirds in the middle of doing what blackbirds do in the spring when a magpie swooped down, bit the male blackbird's neck and broke it and then proceeded to do the same with the female. The magpie stood there for a few moments looking at what it had done (laughing?) and then flew off, leaving two dead blackbirds behind.Magpies seem to be getting more common recently. Perhaps that's because they aren't culled any more as they were a few years ago.I'm all for conservation and protecting wildlife - pity the magpies don't have the same viewpoint. :angry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deuces wild Posted August 3, 2005 Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 We also have a pair magpies living next door that are a :censored: nuisance!!Buy a nice CO2 powered pellet gun and shoot the damn magpies next time you see them.Survival of the fittest. :P :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expertec Posted August 3, 2005 Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 That's what I'd like to do... are those things legal in the UK, and if so where can I get one?The magpies amuse themselves by harassing our cat and our rabbits, not funny at all :angry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thos Posted August 3, 2005 Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 I don't like magpies either, but please don't slaughter them because they don't behave as you would wish them to do.Thos. :sadwalk: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catgate Posted August 3, 2005 Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 Magpies, to me, are like politicians. They will attack and/or destroy anything that they think they can defeat, and continually make a lot of noise before, during and after doing it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deuces wild Posted August 3, 2005 Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 I don't like magpies either, but please don't slaughter them because they don't behave as you would wish them to do.Thos. :sadwalk:The magpies amuse themselves by harassing our cat and our rabbits, not funny at all :angry:That makes them fair game Thos. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belatucadrus Posted August 3, 2005 Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 The magpies amuse themselves by harassing our catYou shouldn't have mentioned that, now andsome will start breeding them.They don't cause any problems round here, they get a bit protective when they're doing the parent thing with a fledgeling, but no more aggressive than any of the other corvidae. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted August 3, 2005 Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 no more aggressive than any of the other corvidae.My garden jackdaws are cuddly compared with the magpies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hurdy Posted August 3, 2005 Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 Some weeks ago I spotted a sparrow trying to pick up a fledgling.Unfortunately the fledgling was dead but the adult tried several times, lifting it two or three inches off the ground before it finally gave up.Never seen anything like it before - in real life or on the telly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expertec Posted August 3, 2005 Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 You shouldn't have mentioned that, now andsome will start breeding them.They don't cause any problems round here, they get a bit protective when they're doing the parent thing with a fledgeling, but no more aggressive than any of the other corvidae.I'll have to go and break his windows if he does! :D We have crows here too and they don't behave anything like the magpies! ;)There was an interesting story about seagulls in Birmingham recently but I've lost the link :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popeye Posted August 3, 2005 Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 I also have Magpies in my garden who bully everything, especially the squirrels who pinch all the peanuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted August 4, 2005 Report Share Posted August 4, 2005 That's what I'd like to do... are those things legal in the UK, and if so where can I get one?The magpies amuse themselves by harassing our cat and our rabbits, not funny at all :angry:I don't particularly like magpies, but would suggest letting them have the cat. Then give the rabbits to me for a rabbit pie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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