Mike Denny wrote about watching a magpie eat a sparrow. A few years ago, I
witnessed a similar incident. As I was driving away from the campus, a crow
flew ahead of my car, chased by several calling robins. The crow had
something in its beak, which it dropped, then picked up again. It soon
became clear that it was a nestling robin. The crow carried the robin to a
large horizontal branch of a tree--the robins having given up their chase by
this time--spread it over the branch, and proceeded to peck it open and eat
its entrails. I watched with a combination of fascination and a growing
sickness in my gut. I know these things happen. They're a part of nature.
Crows have to eat, and they're a factor in keeping other bird populations in
equilibrium. I know all that. Still, it was hard to watch, and yet
fascinating.

Burt Guttman guttmanb at evergreen.edu
The Evergreen State College
Olympia, WA 98505 360-456-8447
Home: 7334 Holmes Island Road S.E., Olympia 98503

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Denny [mailto:m.denny at charter.net]
Sent: Monday, May 12, 2003 6:55 PM
To: tweeters
Subject: Black-billed Magpie takes out English Sparrow


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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