Also Australian magpies aren’t actually corvids, that are related to crows, magpies and ravens. They belong in a different bird family altogether.
thanks, Lemmidan
That’s so damn cool to see! I thought I was fucking crazy!
Years and years ago, I made friends with some crows. So they’d hang around our yard a lot, kind of like their home base. I’d see that kind of thing, and wonder wtf was going on, but any time I’d tell somebody, it was like I was trying to prank them or something (I mean, not without reason, I am known for telling tall tales that turn into absurdity. I always fess up at the end, but it does mean I get the side eye a lot).
But nobody I ever told about it had ever seen it.
I’ve even seen jays do it a couple of times.
Cats with feathers
r/likeus
Paper referenced (I think): https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10071-020-01466-0
Co-lying is mentioned, but it isn’t the subject of the paper linked.
Crows are cool and all! Before you humanize them too much, remember they predate upon other birds’ chicks, etc.
To be fair, pretty much any bird that isn’t exclusively an herbivore will do that if the opportunity arises. Birds be vicious little predators fo sho.
Hell, there’s a cardinal that hangs around our house, and I’ve seen him eating a dead bird before. Well, picking pieces of it off, then flying into the shrubbery, then coming back in a few seconds. I assume he was eating it, since they nest in a different section of the yard. So I wouldn’t even be surprised if pretty much any bird would go after unprotected chicks if the chance arises.
And all of them will eat eggs, afaik, if they can crack them, our they find one cracked already.
It’s a common joke to refer to their dinosaur ancestry, but even those cute like songbirds have a savage side, just like their more intimidating kin.
I’m pretty sure that if you see birds carrying food, they’re usually bringing some to their babies! Otherwise it’s safer to eat it there.
Predate? You mean prey?
I’ve always used predate in this context because prey as a verb tends to get confused with prey species.
remember they predate upon other birds’ chicks, etc.
Wait 'til you see what humans do!
Call me when crows invent factory farming lol
