Why do crows pester other animals (5 photos)

You've probably seen videos of crows pulling the tail, pecking and otherwise pissing off other animals. There is an explanation for these actions.





The author writes:

One day, while walking in the park, I came across an amazing scene. The crow tapped the cat's tail. Wherever the mustachioed one went, the bird strutted importantly after its prey and pecked. So much so that there was a trophy left in the beak - a tuft of wool! It would seem that one is a predator, the other is prey. But the feathered one did not feel any reverence for the furry one. Is the bird really tired of living that it is asking for an attack? Quite the opposite. This is how birds protect not only themselves, but also their relatives.

Corvids in general and crows in particular are feathered children. Very mischievous and dirty three-year-olds. And the degree of their outrages may vary. Sometimes birds do this just because they are having fun! The brave bird sneaks up, plucks someone by the tail/paw/ear, and the victim of the treacherous attack immediately becomes angry, distracted from his business while the feathered villain happily jumps nearby.



But sometimes a crow's prey has something interesting to offer. It could be some bright little thing or a piece of something tasty. And then the harassment begins to have a material meaning. The crow becomes a robber, and pricks in the tail and ear become distracting maneuvers to divert attention from the desired trick.





But such antics also have noble goals. For example, to protect yourself, your relatives and your nest. Both four-legged and winged predators pose a danger to corvids. Therefore, crows always want to drive away uninvited guests from their territory. But there is not always enough quantity for a serious altercation, so softer methods are used to enrage the victim. She will get tired of the pestering and leave on her own.



If the hint is not understood, the birds move on to serious measures. Enraged crows gather in a flock and chase the enemy until the latter loses consciousness. Everyone is flying, screaming, trying to hit him hard on the top of the head with their beaks and scratch them with their paws. The owl was not lucky enough to show itself during the day? Great, now let's hit her in the ears! Did a falcon or hawk fly into the wrong area? Beat the intruder! And if he even made an attempt to grab someone, then in general all restrictions are gone, we’ll fill the pillow with feathers! Even a human is no obstacle to such a flock! Birds fearlessly attack bipeds if they dare to offend a relative or a child.



Officially, the deadliest bird is the Australian magpie. They account for three human lives. They attacked cyclists who lost control.

Such a large-scale attack is called mobbing. It is used by many groups of animals, from other birds to gregarious mammals. The purpose of such an action is to intimidate the enemy, so much so that he would be discouraged from attacking!