Expert: Roger Lederer - 7/7/2008

Question
QUESTION: I live in mass. i have had a birdfeeder for many years.  I'm still not very good at telling what a bird is.. but i'm pretty sure of what i saw yesterday.. I heard..last night i heard the birds making quite a racket. i looked out and saw a blackbird or it could have been a red winged black bird. pecking a starltet or sparrow to death.. the other birds watching and going crazy were a mixture..doves, cardinals. all kinds as usual..i ran out but it was too late. I have never seen this type of behavior.  i looked out later on and there was yet another dead bird.  Why would these black birds or red winged black birds all of a sudden attack a sparrow?  they usually live in harmony and there is enough food out there for all of them.  there are also many fledglings out there now as well.  still begging for food from their moms.
thank you very much for any insight you may have.

marylee

ANSWER: Since I don't know the exact situation, I can't give you a specific answer. But it is not unusual for a sick or dying bird to be finished off by others. It is unusual for a healthy bird to be attacked like that.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I found another dead bird attacked at the throat.  My guess is maybe there
was a roague nasty blackbird or red winged blackbird.  There have been tons
of fledglings in the backyard.  That could have set him off if there is such a
thing.

Marylee


Answer
Finding another dead bird with a torn up throat doesn't necessarily mean that a blackbird did it. I've never heard of a rogue blackbird,or any other bird for that matter. It is unusual for songbirds to be this aggressive. I doubt if the fledglings have anything to do with it. Sorry I can't be more specific but without seeing your situation I can only guess.