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Grey Butcher Bird [4/4]
Posted by Helen (Melbourne, Australia) on 1 August 2007 in Animal & Insect.
Episode Four: Nasty habits
This little bird may look cute and harmless, but stand by, I have news for you! I have heard of two reasons why these birds are called Butcher Birds [Cracticus torquatus]. The first nasty habit is hanging or impaling captured prey in a tree to facilitate the eating or to attract potential mates. The second very nasty habit is raiding other birds' nests and eating their young. The nastiest part of all is obvious if you link their name to the hook on their beak and what they do to the chick. Yick!
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Soph from Enghien, Belgium
Rhaaaaaa come one! So wonderful birds and so baaaad habits!
Great capture! So, that bird comes so near!
1 Aug 2007 6:29am
Craiger from Vacaville, California, United States
I hate it when birds do that! Cool shot and great story!
1 Aug 2007 6:47am
Dimitrios from ATHENS, Greece
MMM she cannot get enough of you, I do not blame her!
1 Aug 2007 8:01am
Andrew Gould from Sydney, Australia
At first, I thought "cute", but after reading your note, it's something more like "menacing" that I see in those eyes! Excellent capture, in any case.
1 Aug 2007 12:17pm
Bron from Canberra, Australia
At least the creatures it eats are free until they die unlike most animals we eat - and everyone needs a larder! Its dining habits don't detract from its beauty for me Helen - I still think it's cute!! Lovely photo. cheers Bron
1 Aug 2007 12:31pm
kairospix from Singapore, Singapore
looks can be deceiving...
if only such butchery are on;ly confined to this bird but alas it happens in humans too...
nice capture though...
1 Aug 2007 12:43pm
Viewfinder from Bradenton, United States
Life is not always idyllic. Butcher birds are part of creation, and I guess even if we don't approve, are to be granted their way of making a living. A great book to gain perspective on this is Annie Dillard's Pulitzer classic "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek."
1 Aug 2007 1:08pm
amy from Rocky Mountain House, Canada
Great shot of this bird, Helen!! Again the background is so right with this shot. Good reflexes... again.
But you know, there's a dark side to most everything. Eagle's for example are revered and yet they are nasty cruel s.o.b.'s. Some friends of ours watched a tag team of 4 eagles take down a swan and kill it. Very traumatic to say the least. But as my friends said.. it's the cycle of life, eh?! Thank goodness for all intents and purposes we are at the top of the food chain LOL
1 Aug 2007 2:13pm
alla from Toronto, Canada
Very informative :) Great shot! Looks like the bird is shy, or flirting :P
1 Aug 2007 3:54pm
Matt Trujillo Photography from Portland, United States
Beautiful shot! He looks ready to hang us all on something pointy. Mother Nature is a wonderful, disgusting mad scientist.
1 Aug 2007 7:34pm
Matt Trujillo Photography from Portland, United States
Whoops...I meant "she". Please to be correcting my comment.
Cheers.
1 Aug 2007 7:36pm
Laurie from New Jersey, United States
Ahhh..now that you mention it, I have heard about some of their habits. Although I must say that in this photo he still looks rather sweet, almost shy the way he has his head slightly downcast as if he's saying "aww shucks...".
5 Aug 2007 4:41am
Fujifilm FinePix S9500
1/210 second
F/4.0
ISO 200
37 mm