Hi Lindysue
We have had reports before on the Forum of a hog killing a wood pigeon. It seems likely that with larger birds like magpies and pigeons that they had something wrong with them for a hog to be able to catch them. So despite the terrible noise, the hogs may have been saving them from a long slow death. Magpies are usually quite feisty birds. Not a nice thing to witness, though. I heard and saw a hog killing a small/young bird once and the noise really was terrible. I thought something was attacking the hog and rushed out, only to see the ‘sweet innocent’ seeming hog killing the young bird. But even that bird probably had something wrong with it – it wouldn’t normally be on the ground for the hog to come across.
Thanks for telling us about it. It’s always interesting to hear what the hogs are getting up to. I’m guessing you meant that the magpie was eaten?
