I was giving a guided tour of the Western Cape to some birding clients from Malta during mid-August. One of our highlights of the tour was an unexpected clash between predator and prey - but perhaps not what one would expect! Tourists to South Africa typically want to see Lions and Cheetahs attempting to reel in a fleet-footed Springbok, but in some ways this encounter was just as thrilling. We were driving through the Strandfontein Sewage Works. Yes, you read that right. The poop farm. Sewage works are notorious for their copious birdlife, especially water birds who enjoy the nutrient-rich environment in the settling pans. Anyway... We noticed two White-necked Ravens Corvus albicollis flying very low over the dirt road separating two adjacent pans. They seemed to be concentrating on one spot, rather than flying over, so we stopped the car to see what was up. The birds landed on the road, bringing our attention to a Cape River Crab Potamonautes perlatus that was attempting to cross the road, exposing itself to the opportunistic corvids. The Crab immediately assumed a defensive posture, with both pincers raised and pointed at the Raven. One bird decided this morsel wasn't worth the effort and vacated the scene. The other, however, was not put off by this aggressive display, and proceeded to attack the courageous crustacean. The Raven grabbed the Crab by its pincers and legs, probably attempting to rip one of its limbs off to make it an easier kill. The Crab was flung four or five times up into the air, but each time made a valiant effort to snap at the Raven's face and beak. The Raven's nictating membrane flickered across its eye to protect it from the Crab's blows. This battle continued in this fashion for a few minutes with the Crab not capitulating. The second Raven then also decided that the prize was not worth the battle, and it too left the Crab to cross the road in peace. Everybody loves an underdog, and we were no exception as we cheered for the Crab's victory. We sidled up next to the victor to congratulate him and snap his photograph. The Crab posed proudly with both pincers raised as if he had won a heavyweight title. We hadn't realized it during the fight, but the Raven did manage to take one of the Crab's eyes in the fight. Despite this the Crab bravely fought on. The Raven was fighting only for its lunch, and the Crab for its life, and the imbalance of motivation probably dictated the outcome of the fight.
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AuthorI am a birder, biologist, and nature blogger. I post about my trips, informative tidbits, and things I think are interesting. Archives
July 2017
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