Chalk up one for the little guy.

Red-winged blackbird harassing Osprey in Kelowna, BC.

Everyone hates a bully.  They tend to be big, mean, and even dangerous.  And one on one, the bully usually wins.  In the above unfolding drama, a red-winged blackbird is getting after an osprey.  If it was just him alone taking on the much larger raptor, the story would likely end in favour of the osprey with the protagonist in pieces.  However, things are not what they seem.

Red-winged blackbirds are very territorial, especially during the breeding season.  They are also gregarious.  Although it sounds counter-intuitive, they actually work together to keep predators at bay.  In the above situation, a single blackbird is taking on the much larger osprey.  But he's not the only one.  Often a number of them are involved in the assault, either one at a time or all together.  The cumulative effect is to drive the marauder away.

This is a common theme with many species of small birds.  They work together to keep the area safe for themselves and others.  The actual risk to each member is relatively small and the reward is a safer neighbourhood.  It's sort of like a communal block-watch/safe-streets endeavour.  Any large bird will elicit this response.  Ravens, hawks, eagles, falcons, and so on.  It is an innate behaviour that is there to ensure the safety of the community.  You don't have to be a member, just aware and active.

There is something here we can all learn from this.  Alone, each of us is vulnerable to the actions of a bully.  It takes everyone working together to keep the community safe.  Isolate, hunker down, or withdraw; these are exactly what the bully wants.  It takes courage to stand up to such antagonists, but the outcome is always better, for everyone.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com