Birds v. Mammals
I've just watched the most incredible interaction between birds and a mammal.
A domestic cat was about to pounce on a group of feeding feral pigeons in an urban garden, just as the cat sprung into action to catch the pigeons, three seagulls (presumably herring gulls) swooped down very close to the cat in an action that could only be described as a 'dive bomb'! Incredible to think the energy and time spent by the much larger seagulls in an attempt to (anthropomorphically!) 'rescue' the pigeons. What an incredible altruistic act from the seagulls!
After all, all animal behaviour is motivated by cost - benefit analysis, where benefits must outweigh costs for the behaviour to take place. The cost to the seagulls are clear, but what benefits would these gulls have received?! The pigeons flew off instantly.
Incredibly interesting!
If you have any ideas why this happened, or have seen anything similar, please let me know.
