American Crow

American Crow with Prey

While backing out of my driveway on 4 June 2011 I saw this American Crow, Corvus brachyrynchos, vigorously feeding on "something." As the picture reveals it is an American Robin, Turdus migratorius, which I assume the crow was somehow able to kill and it is already half eaten. Many other robins, accompanied by Common Grackles, Quiscalus quiscula, harassed the crow mercilessly and it flew across the street, carrying its meal, to the roof of the neighbour's house where it lodged the carcass into the eaves trough and continued to feed, all the while fending off aerial attacks from the other birds. Flying off again it dropped the bird in the road and when it came back to retrieve it my wife was able to get the photograph. It finally flew out of sight carrying its booty.