old'un Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 went out this morning to have a look at a couple of rape fields, sitting in the motor I was watching the songbirds in the Hawthorn hedgerow, a few of them kept flying down into the rape (looking for insects I guess) then flying back into the Hawthorn hedge, there was a Magpie about 20 yards further down the hedge, a Robin flew down and was lost in the rape, the Magpie then flew down to where the Robin had landed, there was a bit of wing flapping and pecking at the ground by the Magpie and then to my surprise the Magpie picked up a now dead Robin and flew off with it. I have been around the countryside for a long time and have never seen a Magpie catch and kill an adult songbird before, so it's a first for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsonicnat Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 And tbey wonder were the song birds have gone.?. Saw one flying off with young bird out of a nest few years back,Rooks,Jays,Magpies,Crows,, They are all at it,,they need a serous culling all of them.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winnie&bezza Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 Yes a cull is serious needed. I can honestly say I detest magpies. Certainly my favourite quarry to shoot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keg Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 (edited) Watched two of them murder a Thrush in the back garden. The Thrush had a next in the hedge. Shot one, other flew off but got it on its return. W&B, heartily agree! Edited February 17, 2017 by keg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 I have seen them ambush and attempt to kill black birds in my own garden twice and managed to make them scarper before killing the birds. They choose their moment very carefully, coming from nowhere immediately after the bird has just landed and trying to get their bearings ! On other occasions I have watched them peck and kill collared doves, they seem to go for the area between the neck and shoulder and open up wounds quite quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingEgg Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 I've watched two attack a perfectly healthy black bird. Was unable to save the thing after spooking the magpies off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 Read about it but never seen it happen. well spotted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 Get over it that is life the strong pray on the week we kill lots of animals for food we do not need to kill them lots of people have a meat free diet I find all of this its ok for little birds to kill moths and insects but it is bad when big birds kill little birds double standards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted February 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 Get over it that is life the strong pray on the week we kill lots of animals for food we do not need to kill them lots of people have a meat free diet I find all of this its ok for little birds to kill moths and insects but it is bad when big birds kill little birds double standards. are insects on the decline then? bloody song birds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 One killed a slow snake in my garden last summer, unfortunately I was too late to save it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rewulf Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 Nasty bird ,Ive seen them kill and eat their own chicks before when they fell out the nest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davyo Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 Saw one kicking seven bags out of a Sunderland fan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royboy Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 Saw one kicking seven bags out of a Sunderland fan! 😂 Nasty bird ,Ive seen them kill and eat their own chicks before when they fell out the nest. I don't think there a nasty bird, they just do what they do to survive, they have to be controlled like everything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 I have shot around dozen or so this year, they're starting to wise up and stay clear of my garden. Far to many Corvids about the last ten years but last five the population seems to have exploded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 A grey Squirrel ambush and kill a Robin on a bird table 10 feet away. 4 Crows systematically pursue and try to kill an entire family of 6 newly fledged Starlings in a roadway. Magpies chasing a sick Squirrel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flynny Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 Nasty bird ,Ive seen them kill and eat their own chicks before when they fell out the nest. Waste not, want not, Lol Flynny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wandringstar Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 magpies are crafty, I like crafty creatures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 The same people who say that they hate magpies for killing little birds think that the big hawks that do exactly the same thing are wonderful and they are protected you could not kill one even if it was attacking your cat or dog its a funny old life in my eyes if something is being a pest I have nothing against culling some of them but killing something for doing what it is ment to do to survive I do not understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 Pigeons eat crops to survive as do rabbits ? "Big" hawks aren't responsible for the decline in the song bird population. Corvids are though. The correlation between magpies etc preying on song birds and them eating insects is non existent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wandringstar Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 cats kill loads of birds, horrible things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 cats kill loads of birds, horrible things. Yes but try getting a magpie to purr on your lap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingEgg Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 Far to many Corvids about the last ten years but last five the population seems to have exploded. You are not wrong. If I was not in a built up area id have driven crow shooting every morning at 7am as about 300 go over us on a morning flight line... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 Its 4am just seen two male robin's battling it out in the works car park, its lit but not bright fairly sure they should be tucked up asleep unless this is how they plan on avoiding all the magpies from now on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moose man Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 Watched one kill a starling in the garden very efficiently , grabbed it in its claw two or three pecks to the base of its neck and was game over for the starling . What also surprised me was it's ability to fligh of with it .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 are insects on the decline then? bloody song birds are Honey Bee's not insects Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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