This morning, on a stroll around the yard, I heard a Gray Partridge and
looked through the binoculars to see a flock of partridges and Mourning
Doves poking around at the end of the ditch. Also at the end of the ditch
were a magpie and a cottontail. (I don't know which cottontail species it
was.)

The cottontail hops at the magpie. Magpie hopped away a few feet.
Cottontail returns to where it was. Magpie hops over there. Cottontail
chases magpie away. Magpie hops back, grabs something, flaps a short
distance away, and eats something. Goes back to where the rabbit is and
gets chased away again. The doves and partridges ignored this little drama
taking place in their midst.

At this point, I broke up the party with the intent of verifying that the
magpie was raiding a bunny nest. The birds flew and the rabbit dashed under
the fence and over the grain silos next door. I couldn't find the nest,
but the dogs noticed I was looking for something and came rushing over to
see what was up. They found the nest easily. The baby bunnies had hair and
were about the size of mice, so had escaped detection by the dogs probably
for at least a week up until then.

I've seen magpies watch dogs, as they probably watch coyotes, hoping for
leftovers. The situation was reversed here. The dogs probably wouldn't
have found the nest if the magpie hadn't tossed nest material and baby bunny
blood around. I've also never seen a rabbit defend a nest, even against a
bird.

Kelly Cassidy
Pullman, WA
mailto:lostriver at completebbs.com