Mobbed

 

 

My wife, grand-daughter and I were sitting on the front porch when we began to hear a large group of great-tailed grackles mobbing something.  Out of nowhere a copper's hawk dropped out of the sky and landed in the center of the road.  It laid there in what appeared to me a submissive posture as the grackles paced around it squawking loudly. 

 

 

Why was it being submissive?  This hawk could’ve tore through these “weaponless” tormentors if it wanted to, but decided instead to lie there motionless.  Seconds later it took off with the grackles close behind.