Greensboro Birds

Our Barred Owl seems to have found a new tree to spend its days in, but the crows were able to fill their time by mobbing a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks instead. The siren song of dozens of ticked-off crows irritating a couple of screaming hawks is strong enough to drag me out of the house before coffee.

The yelling came from the national park barn, so I hit the hill behind the recycling bin. One hawk was somewhere near the barn, surrounded by 50 or so crows. It called back and forth to its mate, which flew around over Lincoln Green, perhaps to lure the crows away.

Although the American Crow often mobs the Red-shouldered Hawk, sometimes the relationship is not so one-sided. They may chase each other and try to steal food from each other. They may also both attack a Great Horned Owl and join forces to chase the owl out of the hawk’s territory. [Cornell Lab of Ornithology]

After 20 minutes or so, the mobbed hawk either had enough or found a way out and soared out and up to its mate, both screaming the whole time. The crows eventually settled down and moved on. This woodchuck came out once the action subsided and munched on grass and roots in the sunshine. Adorable, no?

To the Lincoln Greeners reading this site, the area around the national park barn is a great spot for all kinds of birds and assorted wildlife. But note: That area is federal property, so it’s off limits to our feet. There are good viewing spots at the perimeter, though, especially on the small hill behind the recycling bin.