[cobirds] Talon-Grappling Ravens - Southern San Luis Valley

Hello Fellow Birders,

 

   Today as I was driving CO 142 from Romeo (Conejos County) to San Luis (Costilla County) I saw what appeared to be antagonistic behavior between two ravens (probably a mated pair) and a third raven, guessing 100 feet above the ground.  The episode climaxed with one of the pair and the outlier bird engaging in a talon grapple, one foot each, and spiralling/somersaulting each other in a plummet toward the ground.  They broke off about 5 - 10 feet from earth and both landed upright and hopped away to be about 20 feet from each other.  That's all I saw as I sped by at 65 mph.

 

   I knew that raptors do this and I've seen Prairie Falcons and Bald Eagles doing it, but I didn't know that ravens did it as well.  Pretty spectacular stuff.

 

Keep Smilin',
Kevin

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