{"id":5692,"date":"2015-08-05T13:45:37","date_gmt":"2015-08-05T17:45:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=5692"},"modified":"2015-08-05T13:45:37","modified_gmt":"2015-08-05T17:45:37","slug":"mobs-rule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/mobs-rule\/","title":{"rendered":"Mobs Rule"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you ever seen small birds dive-bombing a larger one\u2014often a bird of prey? This behavior is called \u201cmobbing,\u201d and it\u2019s a common phenomenon that you may encounter any time you’re outdoors.<\/p>\n

\"Blue

Blue jay mobbing red-tailed hawk \u00a9 Phil Doyle<\/p><\/div>\n

The Mobsters<\/h3>\n

Mobbing occurs when birds of one or more species aggressively approach a bird perceived as a threat, either perching near it or swooping at it while making loud “alarm” calls. The most vigilant and noisy mobbers include mockingbirds, tyrant flycatchers, wrens, crows, jays, blackbirds, tits, and colonial seabirds such as terns\u2014but other species will mob, too.<\/p>\n

The targets of all that fuss are often avian predators such as owls or hawks, but may include nest robbers such as crows, jays, and grackles, or the brown-headed cowbird, which lays its eggs in the nests of other birds. Mobbing species will also swoop at raccoons, cats, snakes, and other non-avian threats. They will even pursue harmless birds such as the insect-eating common nighthawk or the great blue heron, presumably as a case of mistaken identity!<\/p>\n

Why Mob?<\/h3>\n
\"Oriole<\/a>

Oriole mobbing turkey vulture \u00a9 Patrick Waggett<\/p><\/div>\n

To a casual observer, mobbing can seem very risky. Smaller birds may get very close to their targets, perhaps even pecking them. Why do birds engage in this behavior? Scientists are not entirely certain. The most likely explanation: members of the avian community are alerting the neighbors that a known miscreant is on the scene. Since predatory birds typically rely on stealth to make a successful attack run, a raptor surrounded by flock of angrily squawking birds loses its element of surprise.<\/p>\n

Anyone watching a beleaguered hawk or owl enduring this treatment may wonder why it doesn\u2019t just snatch one of its attackers for a quick snack. But because of their speed and agility, the mobbers almost always have the advantage against a perched raptor. Since the predator has lost whatever advantage it may have had from camouflage or stealth, swiping at its attackers may simply not be worth the energy.<\/p>\n

Follow That Mob<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Experienced birders use the mobbing phenomenon to locate and attract birds that would otherwise go unobserved. Keep an ear and an eye out for birds of different species making a fuss: they may guide you to a special sighting of a perched owl or hawk.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Have you ever seen small birds dive-bombing a larger one\u2014often a bird of prey? This behavior is called \u201cmobbing,\u201d and it\u2019s a common phenomenon that you may encounter any time you’re outdoors. The Mobsters Mobbing occurs when birds of one or more species aggressively approach a bird perceived as a threat, either perching near it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5692","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nature-notes"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-1tO","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3493,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/raven-crow-or-grackle\/","url_meta":{"origin":5692,"position":0},"title":"Raven, Crow, or Grackle? How To Tell The Difference","author":"Rosemary","date":"May 12, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Noisy and full of personality, crows, ravens, and grackles are very noticeable. But telling them apart is a different story. So just how can you distinguish a raven from a crow from a grackle? And what makes these birds unique? Read on. Common Ravens via David A Hofmann, Flickr Ravens,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/08\/4057Neal_Harris16996-750x531-482ea367-9d99-40cb-b1cf-b15b37762a66.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/08\/4057Neal_Harris16996-750x531-482ea367-9d99-40cb-b1cf-b15b37762a66.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/08\/4057Neal_Harris16996-750x531-482ea367-9d99-40cb-b1cf-b15b37762a66.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/08\/4057Neal_Harris16996-750x531-482ea367-9d99-40cb-b1cf-b15b37762a66.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13325,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-boisterous-blue-jays\/","url_meta":{"origin":5692,"position":1},"title":"Take 5: Boisterous Blue Jays","author":"Ryan D.","date":"November 18, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Clever, pugnacious Blue Jays are well-known for their territorial behavior and raucous Jay! Jay! call, but they are actually capable of an amazing array of vocal sounds, including whistles, toots, and\u00a0wheedle-wheedle\u00a0calls. Blue Jays can even mimic the scream of a Red-tailed Hawk in order to scare other birds! Like all\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Blue Jay \u00a9 William Zhen","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/11\/4507William_Zhen19865.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/11\/4507William_Zhen19865.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/11\/4507William_Zhen19865.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/11\/4507William_Zhen19865.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":17267,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/a-blue-jays-favorite-snack\/","url_meta":{"origin":5692,"position":2},"title":"A Blue Jay’s Favorite Snack","author":"Kaylin D.","date":"November 2, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"On the trunk of an Oak Tree, a squirrel scales the bark in pursuit of a treasured acorn, while a chipmunk nearby already has its cheeks stuffed. Squirrels and chipmunks are the usual suspects for acorn collection, but they have a formidable opponent: the Blue Jay.\u00a0 Blue Jay Acorn Frenzy\u00a0\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Birds & Birding"","block_context":{"text":"Birds & Birding","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/birds-birding\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A jay on the ground near a tree trunk with a leaf in its mouth.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/10\/KForesto.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/10\/KForesto.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/10\/KForesto.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/10\/KForesto.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16037,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/july-13-update-on-the-unknown-bird-disease\/","url_meta":{"origin":5692,"position":3},"title":"July 13 Update on the Unknown Bird Disease","author":"William Freedberg","date":"July 13, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Please see July 14 update for latest recommendations. An as-of-yet unidentified disease has been affecting birds across the mid-Atlantic US, leading to neurological symptoms and eye infections in several backyard species. The disease has been observed most in fledglings of Common Grackles, Blue Jays, American Robins, and European Starlings. In\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/07\/4359Lori_Lawson18976-750x500-acaf575b-5cc6-4607-aa7f-27a9ad10a0a4.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/07\/4359Lori_Lawson18976-750x500-acaf575b-5cc6-4607-aa7f-27a9ad10a0a4.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/07\/4359Lori_Lawson18976-750x500-acaf575b-5cc6-4607-aa7f-27a9ad10a0a4.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/07\/4359Lori_Lawson18976-750x500-acaf575b-5cc6-4607-aa7f-27a9ad10a0a4.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9903,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-clever-crows\/","url_meta":{"origin":5692,"position":4},"title":"Take 5: Clever Crows","author":"Ryan D.","date":"October 9, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Crows have long suffered under the reputation of being \"bad.\" Crows raid crops, frequently steal eggs and chicks from other bird nests, and have been known to steal shiny objects such as articles of jewelry from people. Yet, these vocal black birds are among the most intelligent. Crow are said\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Crow \u00a9 Steve DiGiandomenico","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/10\/4021Steve_DiGiandomenico16614_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/10\/4021Steve_DiGiandomenico16614_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/10\/4021Steve_DiGiandomenico16614_fi.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8489,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/bird-seed-basics\/","url_meta":{"origin":5692,"position":5},"title":"Bird Seed Basics","author":"Hillary T.","date":"December 13, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Want to see birds without ever having to leave home? Look no further than outside your own window. All you need to attract birds is the right type of bird feeder and food. And don't be concerned about creating a hardship for birds should you decide to take a hiatus\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/12\/161SusumuKishihara3650.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/12\/161SusumuKishihara3650.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/12\/161SusumuKishihara3650.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5692","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5692"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5692\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5939,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5692\/revisions\/5939"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5692"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5692"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5692"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}