I cannot sit around, so we popped out to a wine estate and I heard the screams.
Pied crows were attacking two Jackal buzzards way up above the mountains.
Normally these battles in the air only last for a few minutes, and I can get maybe 4 or 5 shots, but today, it was a full on lasting battle.
Now I could split this post up into 3 short parts, but I decided to rather show you the whole battle.
I was so thankful to get them high up there in the sky, and now I can show you the full deal.
Come and see.
It was the clouds draped on the mountain peaks that attracted me to this spot, and the next moment the screams started.
So now, come and watch the action below.
Claws were out and it was a humdinger of a battle.
Here the buzzard turned upside down, claws out, to face the diving crow.
Finally, the fighting mob disappeared over the mountains, but I had enough action to show you.
Pied crows are fierce protectors of their territory, and the buzzards are raiders that come looking for nests. Very much the same as the Yellow-billed Kite that was also hanging around. A pity that the Gymnogene was not also involved here in this fight. The crows have a certain alarm call that can raise about 10 other crows as backup to join in the fight. But today they thought they were enough to ward off the buzzards and to escort them out of their territory. We had a Pied crow once that lost its entire right leg and we took him to the vet to put him down. It was thought that a buzzard got hold of the crow, as they are very powerful in their claws.
I am just thankful that I can show you this battle, and I so wish that you could hear those screams that rip through the air during the battle.
And That's All Friends.
Photos by Zac Smith-All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon Powershot SX70HS Bridge camera.
