Last summer, I was looking out through the kitchen window into
the back garden. There were several birds flying around, or running and walking
on the lawn, and I noticed one fledgling blackbird. It was able to fly, but was
not a confident flyer, and other blackbirds were in close proximity.
Suddenly, five magpies swooped down and started to attack
the fledgling blackbird, taking turns to stand on it and peck at its head. I
had to make a decision on what to do; should I rush out and scare the magpies
away, or “let Nature take its course”. I didn’t have long to make the decision,
but opted for the latter, as the fledgling would have been damaged by the
attack and probably traumatised. Both would have decreased its chances of
survival.
While the attacks continued, adult blackbirds did what they
could to distract the magpies by diving at them and calling noisily, but still
the pecking continued. In the end, the magpies appeared to lose interest and
flew off, leaving the body of the fledgling behind; the adult blackbirds then dispersed
and thereafter showed no interest in the corpse. I went out into the garden and retrieved the body which showed heavy damage on the head but little else in
the way of external marks.
Since that day, I have wondered whether I could have saved
the fledgling and, importantly, whether I should have done. I have also puzzled
as to why the magpies should indulge in this killing without having any interest
in consuming their prey, especially as it has been claimed that they “grieve”
for the loss of one of their own (see the link below). It was just one incident
in a back garden, but one which left a lasting impression. Not all Nature is
harmonious and beautiful.
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