Saw something amazing today. A hawk came by and instead of scattering, my birds grouped tight and actually chased it off together.
Is this learned behavior or instinct? Never seen it before.
Mobbing is a documented anti-predator behavior in many bird species. Pigeons can do it too.
Usually requires:
- Large enough flock
- Birds in good condition (confident)
- A flock leader who doesn’t panic
It doesn’t always work and not every flock will do it. But when it happens, impressive to watch. One of the benefits of flying large teams.