[CT Birds] predation

[Clay Taylor]

All -

About 15 years ago, while doing the Salmon River CBC, I spotted an aerial
dogfight around the crown of a large tree - a Blue Jay was chasing a
Mockingbird.   They swooped behind the tree, and when they returned, the
"Mockingbird" was chasing the Blue Jay!     Ooops!    It was a Northern
Shrike, and the interaction appeared to be not as much bloodthirsty as some
sort of turf war.    One would perch, and the other would attack, then the
roles would reverse.

I continued birding the area, and when I checked the spot about 20 minutes
later, the Shrike was gone.    Evidently he didn't like the neighborhood.

Clay Taylor
Moodus, CT
ctaylor at att.net

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <northernrail at comcast.net>
To: <ctbirds at lists.ctbirding.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 5:29 PM
Subject: Re: [CT Birds] predation


> from John Ogren
>    On Dec. 22, I found a 1st winter Northern Shrike at Otter Cove (
unfortunately 1 day before our count week-he never showed up again).  We
observed the bird for about 45 minutes. During this time he was being mobbed
at times by 1 or more Blue Jays. It occurred to me that these Blue Jays, tho
migratory, very well may have never been exposed to a Northern Shrike
before.
> Later I asked Noble Proctor, while looking for this bird during our count,
what would trigger this response. His answer was that  possibly birds have
an inate mob reponse to such factors as the shape of a predater's hooked
bill.
> John Ogren
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