BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats

Subject: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: Little Hawk
Date: 16 Dec 10 - 09:38 PM

Crows and Magpies are very smart birds, and they'll do some really strange things now and then to amuse themselves. Here are 2 Magpies deliberately provoking a fight on the street between 2 cats, and it's quite evident that the Magpies are doing it simply for their own entertainment, looking for a little excitement on their time off from doing the usual basic survival and territorial stuff that generally occupies birds. They are willing to risk considerable danger to themselves in order to have some raucous and unholy fun at the cats' expense.

2 Magpies and 2 cats

(The person who put the video on Youtube incorrectly labelled the magpies as crows.)

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Dec 10 - 09:55 PM

Those aren't like any crows or MAGPIES we see down here, LH, but they sure are cheeky bastards, aren't they!

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: Ebbie
Date: 16 Dec 10 - 11:50 PM

"Is this a private fight or can anyone join in?"


lol

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 16 Dec 10 - 11:52 PM

I've seen crows tease cats and dogs. If you want some fun, shorten the dog's chain for a few weeks until they learn, then let the dog have full chain.

The crows get more cautious rapidly...

:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: JennieG
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 12:34 AM

Cheeky little buggers, those maggies!

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 12:44 AM

Well, it's clear the birds are members of the corvid family, which includes jays, crows, magpies, and ravens. they don't look like any corvid I've seen in the U.s, but they do look very much like the jackdaws I've seen in Europe. Jackdaws are also members of the corvid family. All of the members of this family are intelligent, and most are quite aggressive - and they all can be very funny.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: open mike
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 12:46 AM

these critters are better role models for peaceful co-existance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JiJzqXxgxo&feature=related

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 02:03 AM

Monkey teases tigers.     Some animals just enjoy taking risks!!

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: ragdall
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 05:51 AM

I think the birds attacking the cat are Hooded Crows (Corvus cornix). I've seen them in Sweden where they are called kråka.

I wonder what they had against that cat? I also wonder if the cats were fighting before the video started and the crows were just herding the patchwork cat away from something which happened to bring it back to the fight again?

rags

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: Charley Noble
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 07:51 AM

The magpies certainly seem to work better as a team than the do the cats!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: The Sandman
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 08:13 AM

they are not magpies, they are hooded crows

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: Beer
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 08:42 AM

Completely agree Good Soldier. The markings of a magpie are different than the hooded crow. Very entertaining video.
Ad.

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: GUEST,erbert
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 09:07 AM

Few years back, early evening I saw more [UK] magpies congregated in one place than ever before in my life.
Can't remember how many, at least 6 or 7, they were spaced out over a few roofs & chimneys in the centre of town.
There were also a smaller number of black crows, maybe 2 or 3.

I can't remember now if they were still and quiet, or making a commotion ?

Whatever, It was surprising even a bit weird seeing so many all together.

When I returned about 2 hours later, one of the black crows was laid out on the pavement dead ???

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: Little Hawk
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 09:25 AM

Hooded Crows, are they? Okay, that's good to know.

It's very clear that they are just attempting to get the 2 cats to fight, because they find it entertaining. Notice how they eagerly pursue the cats at the end of the video, hoping to catch some more action. The one really odd thing is that they choose almost exclusively to harass the white cat, only once or twice making tentative moves toward the black cat. Perhaps they felt the black cat was potentially more dangerous for some reason? As for the cats, they clearly found the crows quite annoying, but they were far more concerned about each other, which is typical of cats fighting over territory.

erbert - There may have been a fight occurring between crows on that occasion. I once heard a phenomenal racket being made by crows near the edge of our property here, went to take a look, and there were 2 crows fighting with a third crow on the ground, while another 20 or 30 crows were all around them yelling like crazy. It was a really serious fight...looked like the two were trying to kill the third one to me, and since they were ganging up on him, he was having a hard time. I eventually went up so close that all the crows got upset at my presence and they flew off in all directions. I think if I had not interrupted it, that third crow would most likely have ended up dead.

I've read that if a crow seriously violates community rules, the other crows will sometimes have a meeting and condemn him to death...and the whole flock attacks him and kills him. This may have been something of the sort, but it looked more like a personal fight between a couple and another crow to me.

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: Beer
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 09:38 AM

I've seen this happen while years ago hunting partridge. I have heard it is also called a "Crows Court". A few months back I watched a documentary on crows. It was truly amazing. Wish I could remember the name of the show.

ad.

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: gnomad
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 10:13 AM

Clever birds, all the crow family, and great opportunists.

I wonder whether what we are viewing as playfulness might be more purposeful. If one of the cats were to get badly mauled a couple of hoodies might well finish it off, and have themselves a change of diet. They will happily attack sheep, whether a new-born lamb or just an adult that is ailing a bit, generally going for the eyes or any noticeable wounds. A cat is well within their size-target range, though better able to defend itself than many animals.

The video is funny, though. I just hope all ended up well after the filming stopped.

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: Little Hawk
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 10:16 AM

Well, I think it was just a case of opportunism, as you put it. They couldn't resist the opporunity to stir up some trouble. Perhaps they are a lot more like us than we realize. ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: ragdall
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 01:01 AM

Dang! I just clicked the link again and got this message:
his video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Погорелый Алексей Владимирович.
Sorry about that.

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: Little Hawk
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 01:46 PM

Do a Youtube search for "Crows and cats" and you will find another copy of it for sure.

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: MAG
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 06:15 PM

I can't get the video here either --

When I lived in Florida, the mockingbirds would dive bomb my cats, apparently for fun -- it was a mistake; the cats learned to bring them down pretty quick.

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: gnu
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 06:53 PM

Found it as LH instructed. Round 1 but no round 2?

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: ragdall
Date: 19 Dec 10 - 10:43 PM

Found a short version with an "expert" explanation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIWaXqiWekM

rags

Subject: RE: BS: video - Hooded Crows provoke cats
From: ragdall
Date: 19 Dec 10 - 10:47 PM

One with dramatic music:
http://redalertlive.com/2010/12/06/crows-attack-cats/

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Dec 10 - 09:26 AM

I don't see the birds doing entertainment-- I see them protecting something off-camera they do not want the first cat to go claim (eat). I see the black cat as possibly the "owner" of the "protected" territory/item.

Like maybe baby birds who have not yet figured out how to get back up to the nest after their first flight.

I've seen young swallows take a meeting as a group (for safety?) on the ground, surrounded by predators, totally unaware they they need to get up into a nearby bush SOON, "because" the bush is not their usual nesting place of origin and they have not yet figured out what the rules of the beyond-nest universe demand.

But it also looks, to me, a lot like a hockey scrum. :~) Fueled by high levels of testosterone.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 20 Dec 10 - 10:33 AM

I agree, Wysi. They have a nest or young nearby and are trying to distract the cat.

The cats don't seem to be fighting seriously. I don't see any blood, for instance. They may be siblings.

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Dec 10 - 12:45 PM

Here is a different video that shows similar behavior:

Cat harassed by two magpies

I agree that the magpies are not just having fun but doing something purposeful. They probably recognize the cat as a dangerous predator and they are trying to drive it out of their territory. Maybe there is a nest or young nearby that they are trying to protect, or maybe it is just their instinct to drive predators away whenever they can.

If you look at "related videos" there are several like this.

The magpies (or crows) always have the same approach: they try to sneak up behind the cat and peck at its tail. And sometimes the cat seems to be trying to use its tail to lure the magpie within striking distance.

In some of the videos, the magpies are chattering loudly. I would take that to be a warning call--warning any unwary members of their own species to beware of the cat. That's what I would expect. In the original video, were the crows being quiet, or did the video simply lack a soundtrack?

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: Little Hawk
Date: 20 Dec 10 - 12:46 PM

That is definitely a serious catfight. No question about it, those cats are intent on annihilating each other. I've seen cats playfighting many times....and I've seen them really fighting...and that is a real fight. You seldom (from a distance) see any blood plainly spilled in catfights, despite their all-out attempts to do harm, and I think it's probably mainly because they have a lot of fur to protect them. Nevertheless, they usually come away from such a fight with quite a few scratches and minor punctures of the skin that are mostly hidden under their fur, and occasionally some more serious damage. They generally leap at and clutch the other cat with the front paws and claws (like a bearhug) scratch away at the body furiously with their hind claws, and also attempt to bite and hold the bite around the head or cheeks of the other cat. This quickly leads to a clinch with a lot of clawing action by the hind feet, and the clinch is eventually broken when one or both cats decide they can't take any more pain. That may lead to a staring contest, followed by another grab-and-clinch session or it may simply end when one cat either runs or stalks slowly away, indicating he is conceding victory to his opponent. In this case the white cat eventually ran away.

The birds pursued even as the cats ran off, in my opinion because they were hoping for still more entertainment if they could get it. Birds do have a sense of humour...I know this from things I've seen parrots do... ;-) They can be rascals. And they like excitement, as long as it's on their terms.

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: Beer
Date: 20 Dec 10 - 12:51 PM

I'm with you on this as well L.H. I also think that is why the cat's paid little attention to the birds because they were intent on one another. With the quickness of cats these birds would have been history.
ad.

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: Little Hawk
Date: 20 Dec 10 - 12:59 PM

They must have been pretty irritated by the birds' interference, though. A cat definitely does NOT want to be distracted while he is intent on fighting another cat...it throws his timing off! ;-) I think that it was probably a major problem for the white cat, because the birds focused almost all their pestering on him, and it made it quite hard for him to keep his mind focused on the important stuff.

If those cats had been friends who were just playfighting they would have gone after those birds. As it was, they were too busy dealing with more serious issues. To a cat there is nothing much more serious in life than territorial claims. Well....nothing except sex, anyway. ;-) And staying alive.

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: gnu
Date: 20 Dec 10 - 04:18 PM

Thank goodness for the cats that both have been declawed.

Subject: RE: BS: Surprising video - magpies provoke cats
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 21 Dec 10 - 10:51 AM

Yes I have got between my cat to my cost and an arrogant magpie who thought he could just saunter up the garden path unscathed. I sorted it out eventually but my cat spent the day giving me the filthiest of looks.