I have just witnessed a fight to the death between an Indian Myna and a Wattlebird.
Is this common....the Wattlebird was so aggressive.
My little dog had done her usual trick of taking out food that she doesn't want and leaving it on the grass.
An Indian Myna came up and stated pecking at the food when this Wattlebird also came down and started eating.
As the Myna came closer the Wattlebird simply flew into the Myna and although the Myna tried to get away the Wattlebird kept attacking.
It was lying very still so I went to check and it is very dead.
Hi Echidna,
I know that the larger honeyeaters are quite aggressive, but I've never seen something like this. Do you know if the myna died from flesh injuries caused by the wattlebird? Or perhaps the myna died from a heart attack (fright)?
I think BiBY has a "Backyard Biffo" survey (about aggression between birds). Perhaps you could record your observation on the survey.
Regards,
Andy.
Thanks Andy
There were injuries on the body and in the eye.
Even though it was only a Myna I felt for the bird.
I've never seen anything like it.
I think it's the same wattlebird that plays in our bottlebrush and is always trying to have a conversation with us when we're outside.
Cheers
Kay
Noisy Miners are agressive bird chasers themselves but they certainly don't deserve to die for it. The noisy frier birds at our place have been chasing them out of the silky oak lately I just wish I could get them in camera range.
See Yez
Trev
Bushanwater, it was an indian myna, not a native. I agre with the native myna being agressive bird chasers, always chasing the kookaburras and magpies. But the Indian Mynas? I haven't actually seen them do it.
An extremely interesting case, have you seen this happen any other times? As in the wattlebird comes for the food and so does another bird? Maybe it was just an unhappy bird on that day.
Regards, Amateur
It was very agrresive and over in a matter of minutes.
My office overlooks our backyard and by the time I was able to get outside it was all over.
The Indian Myna had arrived first and the Wattlebird came in almost immediately and attacked.
I have seen a Wattlebird (I'm assuming it is our resident one) chase the Eastern Parrots & Rainbow Lorikeets away.
He usually backs off from the Rainbow Lorikeets though as a couple of them will have a go at the Wattlebird.
He was back today but no other bird was within cooee.
Cheers
Kay