At first I will show you how a crow launches himself in a strong wind.
Right, the Pied Crow on the street lamp was ready to take off.
We often see these fights and every time I am astounded to see how the crows master and use the winds. Like I said before, it is Spring season here in South Africa and I am bound to see many more of these aerial fights, as most of the crows have their babies emerging from the nests.
The predator birds, like buzzards, eagles, falcons and hawks, also know this and they frequently try their luck to grab a crow baby.
Pied Crows (Corvus albus) always sit facing the wind and all that he did here was to open his wings, to allow the wind to blow him off the lamp.
Then he turned to the right in the air and he was gone with the wind at his back to speed him along.
No launch, no high jump, just a small jump and the wind does the rest of the work.
Now let's have a look at the fight in the air.
The Jackal Buzzard (Buteo rufofuscus) came flying into a crow's territory, high up in the sky and the crow positioned himself above the buzzard.
Bang! Here's the crow's diving attack and see how the buzzard kicked his talons out.
The crow slipped past, went up at speed and came in for another hit.
Look how they look at each other!
Bang! the crow hit the buzzard again.
Then the buzzard dived down out of the heights and flew away at speed.
So, the crow is again a winner against a bird that is three times his size. They know how to use the wind and the bigger birds are much clumsier. I have never seen a bird getting hit so drastically by a crow that the bird falls out of the sky. It is more just a great scare tactic by the crows that they have perfected over time.
Crows are reckoned as the most intelligent in the bird kingdom.
If only I was that intelligent. Hahaha.
And That's All Friends!
Photos by Zac Smith-All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon Powershot SX60HS Bridge camera
