Asymmetrical Warfare

While shooting a red tail hawk in summer 2018, I witnessed a pair of sparrows harassing and attacking this momma hawk, and in the immediate vicinity of her nest with hatchlings. It was really quite astonishing to see the much smaller, but more agile, sparrows pestering the much larger, and supposedly more formidable raptor. I almost titled this one "Too Close for Missiles, Switching to Guns".

Shot with D7100 and Nikkor 70-300mm. Please share examples you have of other apparent mismatches.

Same thing happens around a local bald eagle nest. The crows around do not like the eagles at all and harass them with any chance.

While shooting a red tail hawk in summer 2018, I witnessed a pair of sparrows harassing and attacking this momma hawk, and in the immediate vicinity of her nest with hatchlings. It was really quite astonishing to see the much smaller, but more agile, sparrows pestering the much larger, and supposedly more formidable raptor. I almost titled this one "Too Close for Missiles, Switching to Guns".

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Shot with D7100 and Nikkor 70-300mm. Please share examples you have of other apparent mismatches.

Maneuverability is everything when it comes to avian warfare. Incidentally, the attacker isn't a sparrow. More likely a kingbird. Several species are found in U.S, is this Eastern?

Here is another picture from earlier today, April 11, 2020.

Sorry, but I'm a little late to the thread.

Kingbirds are feisty little boogers. Here's one harassing a Swainson's hawk on her nest. There was a Western kingbird nest nearby.

Kingbird(s) attack Swainson's hawk on nest by David Stephens, on Flickr

Alas, two-days after hatching, then chick was dead on the ground, probably from the kingbirds, but, perhaps from magpie.

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