Magpies - are they dangerous?

Question
QUESTION: Hi Dana, thank you very much for your last answer! :)
Today Chamomile was out in the garden eating cabbage, and a magpie flew down beside him. It was quite big, about the same size as Cam I think. I was watching from a few metres away. It hopped closer to Cam, he ignored it. It hopped around him. He completely ignored it, but then it went behind him. It shot its head out and pecked him! Chamomile kicked out his back legs and jumped away before running like lightning towards me. I ran towards the magpie shouting. It flew away into the trees.

Cam resumed eating his cabbage, and seemed unharmed. My dad picked him up to look at him later (he lets us handle him quite a lot now even though he isn't neutered - but only my dad can do it as Cam is kind of big now and good at scratching!) and there was no cut or anything. He seems his usual self.

But I am feeling quite shocked. First foxes and cats out to get him, now magpies. Could they actually kill him? Would they try? As I said, he is quite big, but still. I got him a run a while back but he dug his way out of it, and seemed unhappy in it. Honestly, there's no way I can cage him up anywhere. He owns the whole house, even the attic (I took him up there once) and the entire garden, plus next door. He's been out of the actual front door twice - mostly when people visit. He's out of the hutch from morning till night - he slips out usually when I bring him food - it takes ages to put him back in in the evenings. The latest is 11pm.

I can't keep him in especially as it's summer. I like it when he runs around and is happy. It's his world, after all! Will Cam remember magpies and learn not to go near them or run away when they approach? How much do rabbits actually remember? Sorry for firing all these questions at you but I am so worried about him catching bird flu or getting attacked. Thank you so much for all your fantasic valuable help!

ANSWER: Dear Melissa,

Wow, that's unusual!  That must have been one hungry or unusually confident, aggressive magpie.  Yes, they are rather large birds, but I've never heard of one attacking an adult rabbit.  Corvids are dangerous to small or infant animals, but usually they do not consider large, adult rabbits as prey.  I would be worried that a gang of magpies could mob a rabbit and actually kill, but that would be pretty unusual.

I understand that you don't want to keep him penned.  But for his safety, be sure he always has access to plenty of safe havens where a predator simply cannot reach him.  Indoors is best.  If he's got so much freedom that he's visiting the neighbors, then he's at greater risk of being attacked by something.  It's a trade-off:  freedom vs. safety.  Humans face that, too.  And it's not always easy to make the decision, especially when you're making it for someone else.

I hope Cam will remember the magpies and run away when he sees one again, but only further experience will tell.  (Time to get out the magpie spray!)

Hope he stays safe.

Dana

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi again Dana, sorry for asking yet another question but today Cam did another quite odd thing. He was hopping along as usual in the garden, my dad was in a deckchair watching him and I was close by just outside of the house. Then he came across a bee which was crawling very slowly across the ground towards him. But my dad didn't actually see that it was a bee, or Cam would have been lifted out of harm's way.

But Cam surprised us. He picked up the poor bee in his mouth, held it there for a second and then sort of threw it away from him. I can't explain it. He just sort of moved his head back and let go with his mouth, so it landed a few inches away. Then Cam resumed hopping along. I examined his mouth for stings, but he was unhurt and flicked his ears at me in contempt, before struggling away. The poor bee unfortunately died.

Did Cam think it was food or something? I can't think of any other reason why he would pick it up otherwise. He's never been stung by a bee before. Cam does have the most extraordinary personality - I never imagined owning a rabbit to be so fun, a bit like having a dog even. He can do a tug of war over carrots, just like a dog. He jumps on the sofa like a dog would and he is very posessive over his things, like sleeping on top of his cabbage or keeping a protective paw over it so we don't take it. When he does anything naughty like chew up a whole sheet of paper, which he amazingly managed to digest, he just looks cuter on purpose so he gets kissed instead of told off. Are rabbits really so clever? Thank you very much for the magpie help!

Answer
Dear Melissa,

Never doubt that rabbits are as clever as dogs or cats!  It's a well-kept secret, and first-time bunny caregivers are often stunned at how interactive, intelligent and amazing their lagomorphic pals are!

The bee incident is very interesting.  Cam was probably being curious.  Rabbits will often pick up an item that's not familiar and fling it, and the bee may have attracted Cam's attention with its movement.  Lucky he didn't get stung!

If this was a honey bee, don't feel too bad.  They live for only a couple of days before they burn out and die.  This was likely a little worker bee who had come to the end of her lifespan and was on her way out.  I doubt that Cam had anything to do with her demise.

Hope that helps.  Enjoy your wonderful bunny!  If you'd like to share your bunny love with thousands of other bunny families and also have quick access to help for any questions you might have, then consider joining EtherBun:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/etherbun.html

Have a good weekend!



Dana