![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/black-billed-magpie-6671-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"black-billed-magpie-6671-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe magpie was both fearless and relentless in its attacks. At first the hawk did its best to ignore the highly aggressive corvid but<\/p>\n
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it really had no choice but to keep a very close eye on the magpie and…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n defend itself when necessary.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The hawk kept turning on its perch in an attempt to face the incoming magpie but the tree was thick with twigs and branches that hindered its ability to maneuver. One time the hawk slipped and fell flat on its face in the branches and it took a few moments to recover.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Usually the magpie instinctively\u00a0approached from behind and about all the Swainson’s could do was turn its head and watch as the aggressive bird attacked its vulnerable rear end.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Here the hawk was turning to face the magpie coming in from our right but before it was stable on the branch the magpie was already behind “him”.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I include this shot because it makes me smile. It looks like the Swainson’s was about to poop disdainfully on the magpie but in reality it was only trying to regain its balance after an awkward defensive maneuver.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The speed and maneuverability\u00a0of the smaller magpie as compared to that of the hawk was truly impressive – it seemed like the hawk was always facing a direction the magpie had already left. The Swainson’s was not<\/em> having any fun!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Occasionally the magpie would land on a nearby branch and watch as the hawk tried to recover. I couldn’t help wondering if the magpie was amused by the predicament of the larger predatory bird.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n But the respite for both birds would only last for a few moments before the magpie resumed its aerial attacks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Eventually the hawk made a half-hearted attempt at turning the tables and going after the magpie but all it succeeded in doing…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n was getting hung up in the\u00a0twigs when one of its feet slipped on a branch. Just before this shot the hawk had done a face-plant into the spiny\u00a0twigs below its face and here it’s\u00a0attempting to recover. The magpie almost seems to be taunting the larger bird during the process.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Soon\u00a0the hawk flew a short distance to another nearby tree but that didn’t satisfy the magpie so it continued its aggressive behavior.\u00a0With its rear end and tail once again vulnerable to the magpie the hawk…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n