outrageous crows

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American crows are clever. They're also opportunist omnivores. They'll eat anything. 

The ebony Heckle and Jeckles feed on invertebrates—insects and spiders—of all kinds, also carrion, garbage scraps, seeds, nuts, mice, frogs, etc, etc. Whatever is available. I've seen them fly from a robin's nest carrying a sky-blue egg. I've also watched them feed on orange, powdery cheese puffs by the side of the road and periodical cicadas by the belly full.
 
Finicky they are not. Crows are human-like in their appetites; they would eat escargot, calamari and/or pâté de foie gras marinated in Cognac, which is more than I could say for myself. 

The other day I saw a crow burst from a tree flying lickety-split with a limp, dusty gray nestling dangling from its bill. In hot pursuit was the parent mockingbird to no avail. The crow with its meal got away.

OUTRAGEOUS! Kill the monster! You say. But what if the crow only snatched the helpless nestling to feed its own helpless nestling?

Is the survival of one more important than the survival of the other? 

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