My backyard has transformed from a serene and peaceful setting to a battleground of world war proportions. The armies, though, have feathers.
A red-tailed hawk recently decided to enter my air space and was intercepted by a half-dozen scud missiles, otherwise known as crows. While the hawk could easily handle any of the crows in a one-on-one contest, he was out of his league when six of the black birds took turns dive-bombing him, pecking at his head and drove him away. Hawks are fond of crow eggs and baby crows, and the crows were protecting their territory. I once had a bluebird dive-bomb my head, unsure of my intentions. They make clicking noises as they swoop in and it’s pretty unnerving. I know why the hawk cut and ran.
Next, it was the crows’ turns to take their medicine. One crow appeared and all of a sudden, 6 or 8 blackbirds attacked the crow. Crows, you see, are fond of blackbird eggs and babies, and the blackbirds were protecting their territories.
Meanwhile, the cardinals are waging a civil war – one red bird against another as they seek to establish a monogamous relationship with a female cardinal. She must be very attractive – to the cardinals, anyway – because the fighting has been constant and spirited. In observing backyard birds, I believe it’s not necessarily the largest or strongest bird which prevails, but the most aggressive. It’s a matter of will power and the bird who refuses to give up always wins the lady.
Little birds have also been jockeying for position, but mostly for real estate, as in birdhouses. A chickadee will nose around a potential nesting site, only to be shooed away by a bluebird. Wrens will try to steal any nesting site available, even if they already have a nest. The little fellows are pretty greedy.
The squirrels are also doing battle, of sorts, but I believe it’s a question of a male wanting to start a family and the female still undecided. That is a war the male squirrel will never win.
But soon, things will clam down, the females will warm the eggs and the chicks will hatch. Then, the battles begin anew as the males aggressively protect their young. Along about mid-August, my backyard should return to peace and quiet.