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On 27 January 1973 we saw an adult female Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
make a stoop from 10 m above the ground at three hen Ring-necked Pheasants
(Phasianus colchicus) that were feeding at the edge of a snow-covered field 10
miles south of Provo, Utah. The pheasants flushed ahead of the eagle and she
did not pursue. The eagle continued flying over the fields for 200 m. Upon
crossing fencerow overgrown with tall grass, she again stooped into the grass
from about 10 m up. This time she did not rise, although three hen pheasants
flushed from the cover. Immediately two Black-billed Magpies (Pica pica) ap-
proached and landed on fence posts near the eagle. We moved closer to determine
if, indeed, a kill had been made, and we found the eagle beginning to remove
feathers from a hen pheasant.
Carrying the pheasant with no real difficulty, the eagle took flight, crossed two
fencerows, and landed in a snow-covered plowed field another 200 m away, where
she was at once surrounded by 13 Common Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) and
3 magpies. Some of the crows perched in a nearby tree while others stood calmly
5 m from the feeding eagle. As the eagle resumed plucking her prey, 2 magpies
and 4 to 6 crows tried to forage from her. The magpies were markedly more
active, working in close to the eagle to pick up pieces of flesh that adhered to
the plucked feathers, but were manifestly submissive to the crows. Three times
crows gave chase to magpies that succeeded in securing morsels the eagle cast off.
The crows did not fight among themselves over food, but they threatened one
another as they worked back and forth around the eagle.
Whenever a crow landed in the group, those on the ground acted startled.
Some jumped into the air, others squawked. Each time the corvids became agitated
the eagle stopped feeding and looked around. Four or five times the eagle
extended a wing to help maintain her balance. Each time she did so, the nearest
corvids jumped away, and each time she stopped feeding and looked around for
the cause of their fright. At no time did the eagle show any aggression toward
the corvids.
The eagle stepped off her kill 22 minutes after securing it. Immediately the
corvids converged on it, only to hop away as the eagle returned to it. After
pulling at the remains a few times, she stepped away again. One crow took to
the air with a pheasant wing but soon landed. Within a minute after stepping
away the second time, the eagle rose into the air and flew to a tree 30 m
away. As we drove up to examine the kill, she left the tree. Three crows gave
chase and one was seen to stoop at her back. Upon examination of the pheasant
remains we found the legs were still attached to the synsacrum. About 50 g of meat
remained on the partly eaten legs. Feathers and a large blood spot in the snow
were the only other remains. We had previously seen the eagle casting away the
pheasant's intestines, and the corvids had eaten them. When we returned to the
kill site an hour later, the corvids had stripped all the meat from the legs. Although
the feathers had blown over a wide expanse, there were corvid tracks around
all of them.
We consider this an example of protocooperation. The corvids appear to search
out raptors that have killed and scavenge from them actively. The eagle seemed
to benefit by using the reactions of the corvids as a warning of possible danger.
It is common to see Marsh Hawks (Circus cyaneus) and Rough-legged Hawks
(Buteo lagopus) try to rob other raptors that are feeding. The behavior of the
crows and magpies could have warned the eagle of such an attack.--JosPa B.
PLATT and STw K. SaRROD, Department of Zoology, Brigham Young University,
Provo, Utah 84601. Present address of first author: Laboratory of Ornithology,
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850. Accepted 7 May 73.