Crow

I didn't know that crows were such vicious predators.
Walking back from the Wellington across Horfield Common, we heard the racket of squawking birds from a tree, but couldn't see what was happening because of the density of the fresh new leaves. It was obvious that some birds were unhappy, but not how many there were.

Then a young starling flew out from the cover of the leaves, pursued by a large crow. The chase didn't last long, as within a few seconds we saw the crow returning towards the lawn of the common, with the starling held in its beak. The crow landed, deposited the fledgling on the grass and then proceeded to stab the poor thing several times, swinging its bill hard onto the soft body beneath it. The victim dead, the crow flew off with it again, presumably to either eat in peace where it couldn't be disturbed, or to take the body to feed its own young.

Red in tooth and claw, indeed.

:o/