Re: The absurdity, the absurdity (was: Cooperating theropods?)

[Chris Campbell <sankarah@ou.edu>]

Matthew Troutman wrote:
> 
> <<Thank you!  Looks like you didn't have to bend very far, too.  I
> hadn't heard about keas; there's something disturbing about a
> carnivorous parrot.  Kind of like a vampiric bunny or something.>>
> 
>     Actually, keas are supposedly quite sweet in capativity. They are
> among the smartest of parrots problem-solving wise ( they deflate tires
> and such ).

Of course, that's just what they want you to think.  :)

> >> Though its not technically hunting, many small songbirds have been
> >> known to swarm hawks and crows.
> 
> <<Does this happen much in non-corvids?  I see reference to it with
> crows and jays and magpies and such and was just wondering if it was a
> corvid thing or common among birds in general.>>
> 
>      I know sparrows swarm hawks as well as wrens ( hell, maybe all
> small passerines). This type of behavior in birds is pretty common. You
> have small songbirds swarming hawks and you have bald eagles in
> Anchorage meeting in large congregations to catch fish. Its pretty
> common and widespread.

Gotcha.  Wonder if it's ancestral or derived . . . swarming
ornithomimids?  Dromaeosaurs?  Hypsilophodonts?  <Gulp>  Tyrannosasurs? 
Pack and herd behavior, all in one.  :)

Chris