Crows are amazing (1 Viewer)

[Shadow-watcher]

Crows never fail to amaze me. I saw one a while ago seeing off two red kites on the wing. I think their should be a thread devoted entirely to the incredibly audacious behavior of the crow and his raven cousins.
I realise they are drab, very common, sound terrible, and can be a real problem come lambing when they take an interest in pecking out the eyes of newborns, but point for point they are some of our most adaptive and resourceful birds. I think they are amazing

 

[Nature__lover]

I agree...corvids are intelligent and amazing.
I've seen videos of them placing hard nuts in the middle of the road, sitting on the curb and waiting for a car to crush the nut, then snatching it back up and eating it!
I have no idea how they can find out- but apparently crows can count up to about 6...

 

[chris butterworth]

I realise they are drab, very common, ..............I think they are amazing

There are some stunning looking corvids in Central and South America and in Asia ( never mind Black-billed Magpies and Eurasian Jays - have a good look at the next one you see :t: ) as well as some of the worlds rarest birds. I have to agree that they are superb birds with fascinating behavior.

Chris

 

[fugl]

For “amazing” see this on the Caledonian Crow--
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/01/science/01angier.html?_r=2&ref=science

 

[Nature__lover]

this is what I was talking about before...
watch this video it is amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P8Nwl7FAJk&NR=1

 

[apbarr]

I watched one following a Jay at the weekend, the crow just kept at a distance watching the Jay while it was rooting around on the ground. I'm pretty sure it was waiting on the Jay unearthing its stash then would have pounced to rob it

 

[TheBirdGarden]

They are fascinating! You should see the videos on the BBC news website. I believe it has a crow using a stick as a tool. I also get a crow always coming to my bird bath and dipping bread into it.

 

[CAgnatcatcher]

Crows are really fun to watch, watch them long enough and they'll probably do something really interesting.

 

[Shadow-watcher]

In further corvid news,

I currently teach Biology in a lage school in Thailand untill May, where they have an Avery zoo. I dislike zoo's and further dislike caged birds but one particular resident was a raven. I havent seen him in a while, and on inquiry as to the reason for his absence I was informed he had escaped via unknown methods.

 

[sonally]

I would like to know how to attract crows to my property! I love them and there was a crew of crows in the area until a month ago. I miss them This morning a heard a few in the distance and left two small eggs in my back yard on an old ash pile. I figured the light colored egg would contrast with the ash! I know they are "platform" feeders, and that they like nuts and corn and well, road kill! I am wondering if I must build a tall post with a platform to offer them treats regularly. It is my understanding that they will come to visually recognize me, as one who provides food, and not a threat. (PBS special) But I have yet to notice them, noticing me! I have left eggs, unsalted peanuts thus far!
Any advice?
Alos, I would love to see photos of crows here!

 

[KC Foggin]

A few weeks ago, outside my workplace a colleague and I watched two crows land and go under a hedge and we could see by the moving branches of the hedge they were pecking on something.

Imagine our utter surprise when the two of them dragged a snake out and I'm talking nearly 5 feet long. Each one took an end and flew off together. We stood there with our mouths wide open in awe.

 

[fugl]

A few weeks ago, outside my workplace a colleague and I watched two crows land and go under a hedge and we could see by the moving branches of the hedge they were pecking on something.

Imagine our utter surprise when the two of them dragged a snake out and I'm talking nearly 5 feet long. Each one took an end and flew off together. We stood there with our mouths wide open in awe.

That is truly astonishing & an amazing thing to have witnessed. I wonder if there are other known instances of 2 birds jointly carrying off prey in that way? A 5-ft. long snake must weigh quite a bit, maybe too much for a single crow to fly off with on its own?

 

[KC Foggin]

Which brings me to another question.

My area around my office has had plenty of Cotton mouths due to the severe drought we are in this season, and I'm assuming all the in-ground water ponds we have are attracting them. But are the Crows not affected by the venom in these snakes?

 

[Ronald Zee]

A couple of years ago one of my brothers saw a Crow pecking at an empty Coca Cola can, when he passed it the Crow apparently did not like it because it came over to him and started pecking at one of his feet.