Unusual magpie catch?

[tomburras 2,730]

I'm in the garden just now I seen some thing I never expected. A magpie caught a sparrow with its feet and killed it on the neighbours roof. It pecked at it and took it away. I know they predate nests but not heared of this before. Is this common?

[tomburras 2,730]

I must add It was sat on the roof not flying.

[iworkwhippets 12,624]

Yeh ive witnessed that mate, they dont just take the younguns, prowling the rooftops, the buggers are opportunists,

[Greyman 28,696]

12 minutes ago, tomburras said:

I'm in the garden just now I seen some thing I never expected. A magpie caught a sparrow with its feet and killed it on the neighbours roof. It pecked at it and took it away. I know they predate nests but not heared of this before. Is this common?

I had swifts nesting in my roof every year for over 30 years until the magpies learned to catch them going in and out and despite my best efforts to shoot them they ate the lot none have returned since

[jukel123 8,299]

That's a new one on me. Just shows the adaptability and intelligence of covids.

[Ratmanwan3 86]

I've seen it once. Magpie chased a sparrow, knocked out out the air onto the floor and pecked it to death.

[paulus 26]

Seen a pair of Crows take a Jenny Wren off the nest and kill it. 

[Greyman 28,696]

21 minutes ago, jukel123 said:

That's a new one on me. Just shows the adaptability and intelligence of covids.

Clever as feck mate they first learned to tap on the roof tiles and the young would pop there heads out thinking mum had returned with dinner they then moved on to grabbing the adults as they popped out after visiting the nest, brilliant but horrible feckers

[pesky1972 5,320]

Too many of them now. Like woodpigeons too, a nest in every other tree. Probably drawn into gardens now that so many people feeding veritable buffets to garden birds. Wouldn’t have lasted 5 minutes in my garden back in the day, they’d have been hit with a barrage of air rifles, gat-guns, peg boards, cattys and all manner of traps. 

[loafer 47]

I saw a crow take a starling out of a tree at the back of our house

[shaaark 10,875]

I mentioned it on here, about 4 years ago, can't remember the thread.

Seen a Maggie fly at a group of about a dozen long tailed tits, and grip one as they just were about to make it into some silver birches.

Edited December 11, 2022 by shaaark

[paulus 26]

Slightly different to the topic But a couple of years ago i watched a Goldfinch collecting spiders web/silk off the top of our fence. I had no idea they did that. 

[Greyman 28,696]

Just now, paulus said:

Slightly different to the topic But a couple of years ago i watched a Goldfinch collecting spiders web/silk off the top of our fence. I had no idea they did that. 

Lining the cup in the nest mate, longtail tits use a lot of spider web in there nests so they can stretch as the brood grows

[paulus 26]

Just now, Greyman said:

Lining the cup in the nest mate, longtail tits use a lot of spider web in there nests so they can stretch as the brood grows

i knew certain members of the Tit family did it,  but had no idea Goldfinch did it as well. 

[jukel123 8,299]

Magpies and grey squirrels both arrived in my neck of the woods about ten years ago. There used to be 3 keeper's on the nearest estate, there's none now. I reckon the keepers saw them off as soon as they arrived. But now there's nothing to stop them multiplying.