Where do you find an ornithologist when you need one?

Pre-pandemic, I never paid much attention to birds.

That began to change as I found myself with a new appreciation for the fact I can see, while also being suddenly blessed with an over-abundance of free time. I've been consciously trying to spend more of that time looking at something other than screens.

Not that I'm anything other than the most neophyte "birder." I can identify perhaps half a dozen more species than I used to. On a typical day we'll see everything from the smallest finches to Sandhill cranes, Blue herons, and buzzards galore. We've been noticing some puzzling interactions between crows and red-wing blackbirds.

This started with the observation that one particular crow was being followed everywhere by one of the smaller birds, over a period of days. We initially thought this was some sort of cross-genus romance.

Then we noticed separate incidents wherein multiple red-wing blackbirds appeared to be harassing the crows while others were feeding at our bird buffet. We came up with the more elaborate theory that perhaps the b'birds were working together. Some kept the crows away while the others had lunch.

We have since spun a third theory. We were watching at least five of the b'birds attacking a crow in an apple tree about a hundred yards hence. Was the crow trying to eat their hatchlings? Kind of a morbid theory, I know, but morbid things happen in nature all the time.

So which theory is most plausible? If this post comes to the attention of anyone with some expertise in these matters, please share your thoughts in the comments.