Hello All,
I just watched an adult Black-billed Magpie picking around under the tray feeder when it suddenly rushed a group of California Quail, Mourning Doves, Red-winged Blackbirds and several English Sparrows. It caught a female English Sparrow by the neck and slammed it onto the ground and while perching on it proceeded to hammer on it with its bill. The magpie quickly smashed the eyes out and pecked hard on the head as the sparrow flipped ands flopped about.This corvid ripped and tore at the feathers on the neck and belly. As I approached and photographed this event the magpie picked the whole sparrow up and carried it back under the grape arbor and eviscerated the still twitching sparrow. This was a first for me. To see a magpie grab a healthy house sparrow, kill and devour it. So it goes.......
Later Mike

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Mike & MerryLynn Denny
323 Scenic View Drive
College Place, WA 99324
509.529.0080 (h)

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BIRDING, YOU HAVEN'T LIVED!
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