Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Crows are good to have around. They will pester anything they think is a threat and drive them away. They live in family groups, patrol and see much of everything, alerting every other crow in the area to what's going on (probably all relatives) and are very alert to any of their predators - hawks and owls, but even climbing predators. I have seen them mobbing a raccoon who was merely napping on a low pine tree branch.

Excellent. I certainly have a lot of them. They don’t seem to be interested in attacking the chickens. I think they were defending their nest maybe when they saw off the hawk.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

You have me thinking. I am wondering if the birds I thought were Northern mockingbirds are in fact gray catbirds.
I have been sitting with the Princesses and my Peterson’s guide and trying to really look at them as they fly by.
They are very similar. And maybe I have both.
There is clearly a nest nearby as they really harried a fox just now.
What with crows seeing off hawks and some unidentified gray box chasing off foxes, the Princesses are having a good day!

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Mockingbirds are easy to identify apart from catbirds visually because there is a significant white patch in each wing visible as they fly by. Catbirds are all grey. The mockingbird's wing patches look like small wing bars when they are perched.

 

[RoyalChick]

Mockingbirds are easy to identify apart from catbirds visually because there is a significant white patch in each wing visible as they fly by. Catbirds are all grey. The mockingbird's wing patches look like small wing bars when they are perched.

Thanks!
I am back to thinking mockingbird because of the wing bars.
But the song sounds more like catbird.
The pictures of catbird show them having a rust color under their tail where their fluffy butt would be if they were chickens.
I have to study some more (great excuse just to stay sitting here in the shade because it is way too hot to actually do anything!).

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Excellent. I certainly have a lot of them. They don’t seem to be interested in attacking the chickens. I think they were defending their nest maybe when they saw off the hawk.

They will mob a hawk or owl wherever and whenever they see one, doesn't have to be near a nest. Those are threats to juveniles even in the fall, so they are mortal enemies. I don't think they want to attack (live) chickens. They will nest by themselves but gather to roost each evening, I would have to check but I believe the male leaves the female on the nest. Some people live close to a roosting area, and that is quite loud as the whole extended family gathers, but some people like it too. Where I live we see them early in the morning with several coming from a certain direction, and in the evening going back that way. We have one pair nesting near us. There seem to be three crows tending the area daily, probably the pair and one from last year. Hawks will kill crows if they can.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Thanks!
I am back to thinking mockingbird because of the wing bars.
But the song sounds more like catbird.
The pictures of catbird show them having a rust color under their tail where their fluffy butt would be if they were chickens.
I have to study some more (great excuse just to stay sitting here in the shade because it is way too hot to actually do anything!).

Mockingbirds will copy catbirds in their song, and vice versa, just be aware....

 

[Ribh]

We Have a Hatch!

I see 1 catbird beak!

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Oooooooo..... So exciting!

 

[RoyalChick]

Mockingbirds will copy catbirds in their song, and vice versa, just be aware....

In that case I will go with wing bars.
But I still think I can use the excuse to sit under the tree and study.

 

[RoyalChick]

Mockingbirds are easy to identify apart from catbirds visually because there is a significant white patch in each wing visible as they fly by. Catbirds are all grey. The mockingbird's wing patches look like small wing bars when they are perched.

You clearly know way more about wild birds than I do.
Can you tell from my fledgling which it is?

 

[micstrachan]

We Have a Hatch!

I see 1 catbird beak!

View attachment 2705220

I see it, too! Though, I don’t know what a cat bird is.

 

[BY Bob]

Excellent. I certainly have a lot of them. They don’t seem to be interested in attacking the chickens. I think they were defending their nest maybe when they saw off the hawk.

Crows do not mess with chickens and my chickens will alert when the crows do. We get groups of crows usually in the fall