[wisb] FW: Cooper's and crows playing "tag"
- From: DWIGHT ALTON <orion0323@xxxxxxx>
- To: Wisconsin Birding Network <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:00:48 -0500
Saw the same thing going on at Devils Lake on Sunday the 5th. We were fishing
on the lake about 5 in the afternoon when we noticed some crows above the west
shore in some pine trees. All of a sudden a Coopers Hawk came flying out of the
trees and started chasing one of the crows. Pretty soon the crow was chasing
the hawk and the hawk disappeared back into the trees only to come out again
almost vertically. Went after one of the crows and then dove back into the
trees. This went on for 15 minutes or so and soon the crows dispersed and took
off in different directions.
Dwight, Rockton Il.
> Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:25:21 -0700
> From: bgsloan2@xxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [wisb] Cooper's and crows playing "tag"
> To: wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> There's a large grassy lawn dotted with a few trees in Milwaukee's Veteran's
> Park.
>
> Yesterday afternoon there were 4-5 crows hanging out on the lawn, when
> suddenly a large immature Cooper's Hawk flew out of some trees by the lagoon.
> It picked out a crow, swooped down on it, tapped it with its feet, and made
> this loud guttural call. The Cooper's then flew up into a nearby tree.
>
> Not to anthropomorphize too much, but the crow looked genuinely embarrassed
> that it had been taken by surprise. Its feathers were all ruffled and it was
> making low muttering sounds.
>
> The other crows acted as if nothing had happened, which surprised me. I
> expected them to get all agitated and go after the Cooper's. After about a
> minute, one of the other crows flew up into the tree where the Cooper's was.
> It was quiet for about 30 seconds. Then the crow burst out of the leaves with
> the Cooper's in close pursuit. Some fancy aerobatics ensued for about 20
> seconds. Most of the time the Cooper's was doing the chasing, but once the
> crow manuvered so that it was behind the hawk.
>
> The Cooper's then flew back up into a tree. Another crow slowly flew past the
> hawk, as if challenging it to another "game". The Cooper's took the bait and
> there was another chase. The scenario repeated itself several times.
>
> One by one the crows drifted away, seeming to grow tired of the sport. The
> Cooper's and the last crow started one final chase and wound up on the
> ground,rolling around for a couple of seconds. Then the crow left, leaving
> the hawk calmly sitting by itself up in a tree.
>
> The thing that surprised me the most about this encounter was that the
> Cooper's and the crows seemed very calm when they weren't interacting. And
> when one crow was playing "tag", the others acted as if nothing unusual was
> going on.
>
> It was a fun encounter. :-)
>
> Bernie Sloan
> Milwaukee
>
>
>
>
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- » [wisb] FW: Cooper's and crows playing "tag" - DWIGHT ALTON
