Crow eating a baby bird

dinners

dinners

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Phil
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Huge distance and crop involved here so I'm not posting for any other reason than I thought it was interesting.

Crow held the chick in its beak and bashed it against the branch before it went down the hatch head first :shrug:

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Unpleasant bird & unpleasant subject.

Why do people feel the need to post pictures like this?
yes its nature but we dont need it ramming down our throats.
it looks like you went to a lot of trouble to try to get "more detail" to show us.
it just ended up garbage in the process.

Sorry. maybe you should go iraq and see the real deal.
 
Crows really are dustbins at times. They seem to eat anything.

I left a trout in a boat while fishing the other week - got out to put some stuff at the end of the jetty and got back to find a crow pecking the eyes out of the trout. Kind of put me off eating it.... (the trout, not the crow) :eek:

AHILL said:
Unpleasant bird & unpleasant subject.

Why do people feel the need to post pictures like this?
yes its nature but we dont need it ramming down our throats.
it looks like you went to a lot of trouble to try to get "more detail" to show us.
it just ended up garbage in the process.

Sorry. maybe you should go iraq and see the real deal.
Click to expand...

Andrew, providing it (the content) falls within forum rules then members are free to post what they like. Unfortunately - or fortunately, depends how you see it - we don't all all have the same tastes.

I'm sure the OP didn't post this to provoke reaction other than to show how cruel nature can be :) (y)
 
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Andrew,

I'm afraid that I have to agree with Pat on this.
The thread was clearly titled, so it's hardly ramming it down anyone's throat - nobody was obliged to look at it if they found the subject matter distasteful. The content doesn't breach forum rules in any way, shape or form and there are some members who are interested in observing nature in all its reality.

Of course, you're completely entitled to your own opinion and as with everything in the critique sections of the forum you're actively encouraged to give feedback whether that's on the technical merits of the photo or the subject matter.
We just ask that you keep your comments constructive and respectful.

Thanks,

Sarah

p.s. I'm genuinely interested as to why you think crows are unpleasant???
 
Jeez,i`ll keep some of my nature stuff to myself. Nature is gruesome, accept that or stop looking at pics of nature, it is not all fluffy bambi world out there you know.
 
AHILL said:
Unpleasant bird & unpleasant subject.

Why do people feel the need to post pictures like this?
yes its nature but we dont need it ramming down our throats.
it looks like you went to a lot of trouble to try to get "more detail" to show us.
it just ended up garbage in the process.

Sorry. maybe you should go iraq and see the real deal.
Click to expand...

What. The. Hell.

The title of the thread gave it away. :bonk:

On another note, I never knew crows went to that length. I thought they just had worms and insects, so it's taught me something new. Love the fact that the other one is looking on.
 
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Totally agree with replies here, nature isn't always nice, came home a couple of weeks ago to find fish in various states of disarray all over the lawn, yep the heron had paid a visit, annnoyed yes, but it was only doing what it had to for it's young.

Sarah I have only seen this once last year, but a crow or rook was attacking a collared dove, when I got near it flew into a nearby tree and waited for me to pass, the dove was alive but beyond help, walked on and watched, the offender came back, couple of sharp pecks and flew off woth the dove, I never knew their feet were that strong, just wish I had a camera at the time
 
AHILL said:
Unpleasant bird & unpleasant subject.

Why do people feel the need to post pictures like this?
yes its nature but we dont need it ramming down our throats.
it looks like you went to a lot of trouble to try to get "more detail" to show us.
it just ended up garbage in the process.

Sorry. maybe you should go iraq and see the real deal.
Click to expand...

A typical response from someone who isnt a true nature or wildlife photographer. Certainly not called for and if you dont like the subject heading then dont look.

Last year crows and a Magpie killed 4 chicks from our garden bluetit nest, they sat on the fence waiting so they certainly do eat young chicks when they can get them...
 
Nature can be cruel, the helpless and injured are targeted by others and in some way this protects the fitness of 'the herd' and disposes of the unfit. Happens in all aspects, the lion 'kill', the shark attack on the seal, the cat playing with and finally despatching the mouse.
Crows will take chicks whenever then can, hence the sight of so many breeding birds chasing them from the area of their nests.

At least in nature, it is generally a case of killing for food, whereas in mankind the killing is generally for all sorts of perverse reasons.

As for the photos - clear warning given, but that having been said, not particularly 'unpleasant', could have been eating a plum for all I can see :shrug:
 
AHILL said:
Unpleasant bird & unpleasant subject.

Why do people feel the need to post pictures like this?
yes its nature but we dont need it ramming down our throats.
it looks like you went to a lot of trouble to try to get "more detail" to show us.
it just ended up garbage in the process.

Sorry. maybe you should go iraq and see the real deal.
Click to expand...

Probably the type of person who will sit through every minute of a controversial TV show just so he could write in and complain at the end of it. If you don`t like the title don`t view the thread. :wacky:
 
Thanks for taking the time to comment folks - good and bad

It certainly wasn't my intention to upset people Andy - I posted it because I thought it was interesting and therefore thought others might too. It's just nature at the end of the day.

squizza said:
On another note, I never knew crows went to that length. I thought they just had worms and insects, so it's taught me something new. Love the fact that the other one is looking on.
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Squizza - The other crow had been nagging the crow with the bird for a while and launched an attack a few seconds after the last shot.

This particular crow (I recognise it because of all the missing wing feathers) seems to be a bit of ring leader. Very vocal and always the first to leave the trees to mob the buzzards. It also seems to resent the wood pigeons.

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Nice and unusual shot Phil, I see no problem with the pic at all myself.

I love crows myself. (in my urban setting where they aren't a problem) its given me an idea on how to attract some off the local roof's and into the garden area for photographing them using frozen day old chicks from the local pet store.
 
I don't particularly like crows / pigeons, but interesting shots none-the-less. I too didn't know that they would eat baby birds.

Good spot!
 
I think it's an interesting picture. Shows nature doing exactly what nature does. It's all about survival of the fittest.

I don't think the picture is particually gruesome. Yes, you can see the baby bird in the crows mouth. But the baby bird isn't very detailed (No offence to the photographer) and there's no blood and guts to see. You see worse things on wildlife documentaries and like others said, the thread clearly says what the picture shows.

A very good spot from the photographer!
 
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I wonder if kingfishers,Owls and other birds of Prey were all black would they be made out to be villains of the piece......

Good observation and captures of the incident.
I thought you had been in "my field" as I sat waiting for some bird pics in my fave spot and watched 2 Crows trying to get in a Starling hole the other day.I have watched the Starlings for weeks - they enter the nest about every 30 secs day in day out and it would feel like my babies if the crow had got to them.

Keith
 
chilliz said:
Probably the type of person who will sit through every minute of a controversial TV show just so he could write in and complain at the end of it. If you don`t like the title don`t view the thread. :wacky:
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more likely watches East Enders and believes every word. One of the most stupid posts I have seen on here " go to Iraq" what a plonker

I had a job shooting crows for a local pig farmer, he told me they used to kill approx two piglets a day on his piggery, (Over 2,000 Pigs) just used to poke the eyes and bums out of them

ps good capture in the pics
 
Thanks for taking the time to look and comment folks.
 
Nice work - admittedly not to everyone's taste, but looks good. Also the second crow looking on longingly...

My main regret is not getting a photo of a jackdaw with a lapwing chick in its mouth when I had the chance... corvids (crows) tend to do that.
 
Thanks for the insight into crows be haviour, one that i wasnt aware of nor had observed. Good take
 
Blimey if this offends people then they'd better not watch spring watch!! They usually have barn owl chicks eating other chicks would be like a horror film for them!!!
 
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