But I've never seen that!!

"Just keep outa mah county, son", says Sheriff Crow.

They're all over Eurasia.

Have never seen anything like this clip.

Thank you for sharing it.

They knew what they were doing.

They were a mated pair, defending their territory. One attacked and the other kept watch on the black cat. The attack was directed at the less aggressive cat and always from behind. They could teach Battle Tactics 101

I'm skeptical.

The photographer just caught the interaction at just the 'right' time. Crows always harass birds of prey and I'm sure that is what was happening here....the crow just happened to hit the eagle's back, the eagle's wing is up so we can't really see the crow's feet...so it looks like the crow is hitching a ride. Seeing more of the sequence of the interaction, I'm sure that's what is going on.

It looks clear to me that the crow has, in fact, landed on the eagle's back. The crow is not airborne on its own power.

I've seen plenty of events of crows and ravens harrassing eagles, and the smaller birds are always in flight - swooping in and out. This crow has stopped swooping, it's not using its wings. Doesn't need to because it has landed on the eagle's back and is maintaining its position with its feet.

I just don't think he's there to take a ride. I think it's just a short stop in the middle of a thrashing by the crow.

everything eagle has seems so much bigger than anything crow has. Very strange.

The smaller birds like crows, mockingbirds, etc are like bees, they kind of hit and run so to speak, and can be relentless when defending a nest or territory. I've seen even Hummingbirds fiercely attacking Red Tailed Hawks to chase them out of a territory.

In my suburban neighborhood it's easy to tell if a hawk is around because the crows start calling all hands to come and chase the bad guy away. Within a few minutes there will be dozens of screaming crows and often smaller birds, all flying around the hawk, dive bombing it until it gets out of the area.

think of WWII fighters and bombers.

Heck, I've seen blue jays harass a peregrine falcon. Smaller birds routinely harass raptors -- they know the raptor would just as soon go hunt for rodents on the ground anyway.

introspective analysis of their respective sizes.

I love birds.

This is amazing.

My take is that crows have a mutually dependent relationship with humans, not unlike that of early wolf/dogs with humans, in that crows see an advantage to humans taking a deer so they can share in the spoils. Typically, crows will fly around me (about 30 feet overhead), then fly off in a particular direction, return, and repeat. Frequently, a deer will emerge from that general direction. If I kill one, I field dress and remove it from the field, but unused internal organs are left to be consumed. Crows are among the scavengers.

It is also wise to note the chatter of squirrels (if they occur in the hunted area). The theory here is that squirrels and deer compete for the same mast, esp. nuts and acorns.
The former raise a ruckus, presumably to unnerve and chase off the deer. (Deer don't want any racket which can draw the attention of predators -- including human.)

I have also watched jackrabbits haul-butt past me. If two or more do that from the same direction, they may be "fleeing" deer. Not sure of what bothers them, though does can be unusually aggressive if late-birth fawns are near by.

Armadillos don't give a rat's ass, and pound-for-pound are the noisiest land animal in the woods. No help there.

thank you

... they can sound an alarm that may alert deer to your presence, especially if you're still-hunting (Larry Benoit-style), but if you're on stand and very quiet, and have a clear view of the bird, the direction of his attention can alert you to an approaching deer. That's been my experience, anyway.

... are the more common watchdogs of the woods up here, and the deer most definitely pay attention to their alarm signals. I've seen a buck bolt in an instant with his flag up when one of the little buggers sounds off.

Intruders in their territory will start them yelling, even trying to chase them out. Something may be tracking the deer, so track the tracker. Other, crows are omnivores; if the deer has found some munchables, so crows may want to get in on the buffet.

FWIW

they seem to take little note. Guess they know the diff between a Remington and a Ford. For that matter, they take little note of shotguns during dove season, except to be few and far between!

They probably have no problem with equipment. Highly intelligent, right up there with parrots.

know who I am, landing close by and watching me quietly.

"We know where you live; we know what kind of car you drive. Keep walking."

...when a vehicle is approaching. The New England crows start hollering Ca! Ca! Ca!

I learned that one as a boy.

And Step on it!"

gets me there in fifteen minutes.

Weasel was attempting to eat said woodpecker

Especially one that small.

if they were face to face, or pecker to face to be precise. But this weasel is biting into woodpecker's neck. (I dislike weasel for doing that). Woodpecker could not peck weasel unless woodpecker had the neck of an owl.

I don't like this either.

Jesus blessed mighty soaring eagle. When will it end?

It will end when the eagle develops a taste for crow.

I think it would be the murder of one crow.

Thanks for the belly laugh...

That crow will be all like hey, leave my buddy alone.

thanks for posting

Like if you accidentally walked in on them masturbating.

mass hysteria.

Spoilers!















Grabbed from Reddit via Uproxx

... who doesn't seem at all concerned about a passenger.

You may already know this but the crow family structure is similar to humans'. Crows recognize relationships with cousins, uncles, etc.

Good Morning!

WTF is wrong with me?

Cherp!

How wonderful that someone was there to photograph it!

I really appreciate you posting this - it's made my day! Thank you!

America, fuck yeah!

of the Book of Revelations;
"Behold a freeloading crow on the back of a steely eyed raptor".

An eastern kingbird pecking on the eagles neck. They do this to protect their nest.

<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="" border="0" alt=" photo 7-01-15 eaglekingbirdg_zpsvbugrfph.jpg"/></a>

Thanks for making my day! Awesome!

Crow was probably screaming "'Merica! Fuck yeah!" The whole time.

Smile, tip, don't touch their stuff, don't ask them to turn down the radio... or they'll give you a bad rating and no other eagles will pick you up.

Seriously I got through the whole thread and not a single LOTR reference?

Its beak isn't as heavy as the ravens I know.

The ravens here also tend to be in small groups of 2 to 4 or 5 so they are not really loners in the way of just a single animal.

And there may have been more big black corvids in the vicinity of wherever the photo was taken.

Ravens have a thicker beak with a curve on the upper.

FWIW I think that's a young crow just having fun. They are playful and adventurous.

some blue jays too. And what is remarkable about the birds is they know some of each others language

One blue jay even makes the sound of the red tail hawk (in his little jay voice) when he sees me go outside to check my hens safety!

I find myself talking to crows quite a bit these days. They make delightful company.

Sometimes mother nature presents you with pleasures far surpassing those brought by any amount of wealth.

So sad so few in the future will have a chance to connect with those kinds of riches because so many cared so little about them and so many others took them for granted today.

That is an impossible shot to get so sharp.

I want to fly like an eagle, let my eagle buddy carry me...

he speaks of the pompatus of love

nice luck, photographer!

An Eagle of the West giving a ride to one of Saruman's spies?? Blasphemy I say!!

people tell me I am strange

but i see how strong their family bonds are
how much fun they have JUST playing
i have watched them court, kiss, even hug

a murder of crows passes my house every morning
and once again on their way back home in the evening

my dog Roo & i try when we can to be beneath their wings
kind of the way the sun rises and sets around here


Vincent van Gogh, Wheat Field with Crows