Each animal in the world has its predators and own counterparts.
Many small birds and other animals are wary of crows because of their opportunistic and sneaky personality.
Still, these black birds have their own enemies.
One of the birds that particularly have a bad relationship with them is Magpies, a bird species belonging to the Corvid family, like crows, and the birds known for their fearlessness.
Magpies have smaller body size than the crows, but it doesn’t hold them off against these large cawing birds.
Crows and Magpies are often seen being aggressive to one another.
These two birds often end up in a heated fight as they compete in all possible aspects, such as food, territories, and source of nesting material.
They are natural enemies of each other, and would sometimes even compete in stealing each other’s eggs.
Although they are from the same corvid family, crows kill magpies and are usually the aggressor between the two.
Do Magpies Fight With Crows?
Magpies have an aggressive relationship with crows.
They do usually fight with these black birds for anything.
They are also highly competitive, so it is not a surprise if you would see them messing around with crows.
Oftentimes, the population of both magpies and crows are almost even in any area.
This observable variable is possible as these bird species are naturally being maintained by one another through killing.
The fights between the two birds usually end up in one being killed by the other.
Crows are usually the aggressor and attacker between the two, but magpies still hold themselves up strongly against the harassment of these black birds, despite being smaller in size.
Why Do Magpies Fight With Crows?
Magpies and crows fight each other for all possible reasons: nesting material, nest location, territories, food, and for their young.
It is not a secret that crows can literally eat anything they can consume, and that includes stealing other birds’ eggs.
For example crows would steal and eat chicken eggs
These cawing birds always steal and go for the eggs and chicks of magpies as meal.
Naturally, magpies fight back against these opportunistic birds and often end up in a bad relationship with each other.
It is also said that magpies consider crows as their natural enemies, hence they would sometimes harass crow territories, steal food, and mess up their nests.
These birds do not tolerate each other at all.
Crows most especially harass other corvid species, like magpies, to reduce the competition for food, nest shelter, and territory.
Do Crows Steal Magpie Nests?
Crows do steal and destroy magpie nests.
Not only the nesting area of the magpies, but sometimes even those who belong to other bird species.
After all, crows are highly opportunistic birds.
Any nests they see unprotected would be stolen, including all the eggs in the nest.
Eggs are one of the most accessible foods for crows.
These black birds would always go to a place where they can get it – the nests.
Some people have even said that crows are intelligent enough to set traps for magpies just to raid the nest and steal their eggs.
This is also one of the reasons why magpies have a certain strong hostility to crows.
Being the species with a smaller body size than crows, they are often harassed and victimized by these birds.
Are Magpies Afraid Of Crows?
Despite being smaller, magpies are known for their courage and fearlessness against crows.
These two birds are both intelligent and are competitive with one another.
Magpies often attack crows too, indicating that they are not afraid of these predators.
While crows often harass magpies, these birds stand fast against this harassment.
Whether they are protecting their eggs, food source, territory, or nesting material, magpies would not simply tolerate the sneaky and aggressive behavior of crows.
In fact, there are instances where magpies will chase crows away from their territory and successfully drive them away.
These birds are also courageous enough to raid a crow’s territory, use their source of nesting material, and even to the point of stealing crow’s eggs or chicks.
What Enemies Do Magpies Have?
Magpies certainly do not have crows as their only enemies.
These medium-sized birds have many predators, not only bird-type ones, but other animals as well.
Though these birds generally have bold personalities, they can still be defenseless against other animals.
Magpies are often the prey of foxes, dogs, and domestic cats.
Some of their most dangerous predators also include monitor lizards and barking owls.
These birds prefer to nest in trees and thorny bushes to keep their eggs from predators.
However, their chicks are not guaranteed safe in these areas.
In fact, magpies’ eggs are often preyed on by raccoons, hawks, weasels, and minks too
Wrapping Up
Magpies and crows have a terrible relationship with each other, despite being in the same bird family.
Crows are often the aggressors, while the magpies commonly defend themselves against these cawing birds.
Though the magpies are generally smaller in size, they can still fearlessly attack the crows and mess up with them.
These two birds often end up in a tight competition for territory, food, nesting material, and in stealing eggs.
They are often found attacking each other, ultimately killing one of them in the process.
In general, magpies and crows have an ongoing intense rivalry in all possible aspects.
