Subject: pesky critters
Date: Nov 9 10:03:31 2001
From: Dennis Paulson - dpaulson at ups.edu


Just watched a red-tailed hawk fly by the window, about twice the height of
the local trees, and it had a flock of 17 crows (one count) around it like
bees around a hive, taking turns diving on it. Individuals peeled off the
group and others joined it as it went over the neighborhood. I know
whenever I hear a cacophony of caws that it's time to look up. I do feel a
bit sorry for the hawks, and I wonder whether urban raptors do better
(because of the abundance of certain prey species) or worse (because of the
constant mobbing by crows) than their country cousins. Perhaps one cancels
out the other.

Dennis Paulson, Director phone 253-879-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 253-879-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416
http://www.ups.edu/biology/museum/museum.html