Yes, a few years ago near my home I saw two Eastern Kingbirds both togather
riding and pecking the back of a Red-tailed Hawk as it fled for cover.
Ken Hinkle
Bridgewater, VA
----- Original Message -----
From: "Colwell, Darby" <DColwell@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2005 9:39 AM
Subject: [va-bird] Chimney Swift Fighter Pilots??
As I was golfing the other day, I observed a Red-tailed Hawk circling
above and one small dark bird approaching. Fully expecting that it was
a Mocker. I was not surprised when the bird began to attack the hawk.
Then what I saw has prompted this posting: the small bird, which by now
I could see (even without binos) was not a Mocker, landed on the head of
the still circling hawk and repeatedly pecked on the hawk's head.
Subsequent to that incident I saw a flock of Chimney Swifts circling and
clicking as I have seen before and could confirm my original ID. Has
anyone ever seen this behavior of a bird landing on a hawk in flight and
riding on him while pecking his head? Or anything like it?
Thanks.
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