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Caithness.
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07-12-2019, 03:36 PM
1

The Bully Family.

This is the family of Magpies that chase and bully all the wee birds that come to be fed. It was due to them that I stopped feeding the birds a few months back, then I bought the Pest Off Feeders and the big birds only get the ground feeders now, but they get filled every morning.


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07-12-2019, 04:06 PM
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Re: The Bully Family.

Great photos Roxy.
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07-12-2019, 04:35 PM
3

Re: The Bully Family.

Originally Posted by Mags ->
Great photos Roxy.


Yes, I'll second that. Really nice, Roxy.

I always think it enhances them with such a lovely clear blue sky in the back ground too.
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07-12-2019, 06:00 PM
4

Re: The Bully Family.

A good photo Roxy. Magpies are a dominant bird that see off all the smaller birds when food is around. They can't help being magpies where it's in their nature to do this but even so, it would be good if they didn't eat all the food leaving none for the smaller birds

I'm wondering how to overcome this myself and thought about getting a bird table. Perhaps the larger birds wouldn't be happy to settle on there to take food.

I remember someone ages ago saying that if magpies are shot, it's surprising how quickly the numerous smaller species of birds come back to the garden. I couldn't bring myself to do this to predatory birds that raid nests in Spring or eat all the food put out in the garden but it would be good to find a way of stopping them being so greedy.
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07-12-2019, 10:25 PM
5

Re: The Bully Family.

Not only do they bully other birds, during the mating season they will dive bomb you whether riding a bike or just walking. We had them on the orchard and I was quite nervous of them, when they dive bombed you they were only inches from your scalp, you felt the flapping of their wings on your head, no doubt some people would be bitten, or pecked at.
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07-12-2019, 11:44 PM
6

Re: The Bully Family.

Originally Posted by Isa49 ->
Not only do they bully other birds, during the mating season they will dive bomb you whether riding a bike or just walking. We had them on the orchard and I was quite nervous of them, when they dive bombed you they were only inches from your scalp, you felt the flapping of their wings on your head, no doubt some people would be bitten, or pecked at.
I remember seeing a video of that sort of thing.
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07-12-2019, 11:57 PM
7

Re: The Bully Family.

Originally Posted by mart ->
A good photo Roxy. Magpies are a dominant bird that see off all the smaller birds when food is around. They can't help being magpies where it's in their nature to do this but even so, it would be good if they didn't eat all the food leaving none for the smaller birds

I'm wondering how to overcome this myself and thought about getting a bird table. Perhaps the larger birds wouldn't be happy to settle on there to take food.

I remember someone ages ago saying that if magpies are shot, it's surprising how quickly the numerous smaller species of birds come back to the garden. I couldn't bring myself to do this to predatory birds that raid nests in Spring or eat all the food put out in the garden but it would be good to find a way of stopping them being so greedy.


Be careful, Mart.
Have a read of this from the RSPB.

*


" We do oppose illegal magpie control, including poisoning, which has a high risk of accidentally poisoning other birds, including rare birds of prey.

Many people wish to control magpies in gardens because they take eggs and chicks of other birds. Since research indicates that magpies do not pose a conservation problem to garden birds, the use of general licence in this context is at best debatable.

It must be remembered that if challenged, anyone killing magpies in their garden may have to prove to a court of law that they had acted lawfully. This may be difficult given the lack of scientific evidence that magpies affect the conservation of garden bird species. "
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08-12-2019, 12:18 AM
8

Re: The Bully Family.

That's alright Mups. I've no intention of harming them.

We once had one come indoors and it couldn't find its way out again. I threw an old towel over it and bundled it back out into the garden. Not before it had broken a couple of ornaments and done a few large bird droppings here and there though.
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08-12-2019, 12:24 AM
9

Re: The Bully Family.

I only usually see one or perhaps two Magpies aorund my garden, but get a few big fat wood pigeons who startle the little birds.

We are almost inundated with Red Kites round here, I saw a group of 11 circling round a land fill site in the summer. I have never seen one come into the garden though.

I did have a big fat Buzzard (I think that's what it was), resting on the fence for about 10 mins a few weeks back, which really surprised me.
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08-12-2019, 12:38 AM
10

Re: The Bully Family.

It might depend on location a bit. If living near woodland, there might be more pigeons and larger birds around.

The last time I remember seeing a large gathering of sparrows was in Germany where there were lots of hedgerows and fields. It reminded me of the number of sparrows that used to be in the garden when I was growing up. We had thrushes, starlings and other smaller birds in good numbers too

We don't see them much now. A sparrow in the garden is quite a rarity. I wonder why? Magpies can't be the reason but if they raid nests, I suppose it doesn't help.
 
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