Mobbing behavior by crows is very common. The crows are reacting to the potential threat the hawk poses as a predator, to the adult crows and their offspring. The mobbing often serves to harass the hawk into leaving the area. Occasionally a mobbed hawk will turn the tables and attack and kill a crow. You can often tell when there is a hawk around by the frantic cawing of a flock of crows.
E.J. Lefavour
Good Morning Gloucester 
Hi EJ….thanks for the info…I have seeing that behavior quite a lot lately in the Rockport woods.
Fun to watch the fearless crows chase off the hawk.
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VERY INTERESTING! Crows are fascinating – so intelligent.
Thanks.
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Keep the “did you knows?” coming. I’ve learned mobbing was the term that describes this behavior. Crows have a lot of calls, so I looked for a word describing the particular racket crows make when they’re pestering a hawk, but Google let me down.
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I just saw that happen the other day. A hawk against two crows.
I,as a bird geek, did know about the term mobbing and even starlings, jays and sparrows will mob hawks if their nests are in danger.
I so enjoy your posts E.J.!
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I see pigeons mob crows all the time down the dock. Turnabout must be fair play.
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On the pigeon thing…I once saw a gang of gulls peck a live pigeon to smithereens in the doorway of Macy’s in Boston. They all took pieces and that was that. I never knew seagulls to do that kind of thing before. -Burned in my brain.
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a “flock” of crows is a “murder”
They only attack in number
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Many times I’ve seen Mockingbirds do a real number relentlessly chasing off larger birds!
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There is 2010 educational video from PBS, A Murder of Crows, if anybody’s interested:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/a-murder-of-crows/full-episode/5977/
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Thanks David, that was fascinating! Anyone interested in learning just how intelligent crows are should watch that video. It reminded me of when I was a young girl and rescued a crow with an injured wing. I fed and nursed him for a couple of months until he was well and then released him. It was great to see him fly away. The next day there was a commotion in the backyard and I looked out to see hundred of crows in the yard and trees. I went outside and there he was at the forefront. I knew he had brought all his friends by to see the one who had helped him.
I found their creation and use of tools in the video just amazing, and to learn that they are in the top 3 most intelligent animals in the world. Thanks for a great share.
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well done, that explains alot…
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