Startling aggression
16th March 2010, TuesdayI’m used to watching territorial disputes between blackbird and robin. What I have not witnessed before if the level of ferocity that starling can indulge in, until today. Somewhat annoyingly a pair of these birds have been showing interest in nesting in the outlet vent from one of our extractor fans, and as the fight took place directly below this I assume it involved one of these birds.
A pair of birds were observed locked together by one of their feet, attempting to peck around the head, and particularly the beak of their rival, perilously close to the eyes, though at times they attacked other parts of the body.
The birds battered away at each other for about 5 minutes, continuously locked together. In the end I decided to get a camera, and my movement caused them to stop quarelling and they flew off, and I assumed that was that. No way, for within a few minutes they were back for round 2, which ended in a similar way, to be followed by round three. By this time, after about 15 minutes of conflict, the birds were exhausted and would frequently pause to get their breath back, before resuming hostilities.
All really rather unpleasant, and the outcome was not witnessed, though mercifully there are no dead bodies in the garden.
