Question: What is "mobbing" and why do birds do it?
Answer: Mobbing is when a group of smaller birds may chase a larger potential predator, like a hawk or eagle, or may flutter and call close to a larger predator, like an owl. The exact purpose of these noisy group demonstrations is debatable, but several theories are reasonable.
Because mobbing tends to happen more intensely in breeding grounds, it may serve to distract the predator from fledglings in the area, or it may serve to annoy the predator enough that it will move away.
Another function of mobbing may be educational: it helps adult birds teach young birds to identify an enemy.
And finally, because surprise is an important part in raptor hunting, it may alert birds to the presence of the predator and therefore eliminate the surprise factor.
In Southwest Florida, small birds mob hawks, owls, crows and other avian predators; also, they frequently mob snakes, especially good tree climbers like rat snakes and black racers which could reach eggs and hatchlings in nests.
