Crows, sometimes four or more at a time, at hanging around our bird feeder area and pond. Besides their loud sound they seem all excited. Can anyone suggest the sudden appeal of our far back yard and pond to these big birds?
Crows!
- Thread starter Big Lou
- Start date
Bird feeder? Crows are notorious bird seed hogs.
JBtheExplorer
Native Gardener
Really? I have a group of crows that have lived around here as long as I can remember and I've never once seen them by the feeders. They always hang out in dead trees or occasionally in the grass in the backyard.
Are ya sure they aren't... vultures?!? haha! Just kidding! I think birds learn behavior just like we all do - when a group of crows finds your feeder you can count on them being daily visitors.
And BTW - did you know a group of crows is called a "murder". Weird but true!
Mmathis
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They could be protecting fledglings, esp if this is a new thing.
And if they are indeed crows, they are quite intelligent birds. It would be fun [well, for me] to just spend as much time as possible watching them and making observations.
When we were digging our pond, I got to "observe" some baby robins growing up, though I never actually saw the babies. Here's what happened: Robin parents were showing up frequently and I was giving them the worms I would dig up [I saved the grubs for the turtles]. At first, the robins [same bird, different birds, same family of birds???] would grab as many worm as they could in their beaks, then swallow them, fly off, repeat, repeat. Gradually, over a week or so, I noticed this change: instead of swallowing the worms, they would carry them off, whole. IOW, the babies had grown from regurgiation-feeding to eating real food. Then, one day......no more visits
Now, every time a robin visits the yard, I wonder if it's one of those [or an offspring] and if it remembers our interactions. It was sweet, even though I didn't see the babies.
And if they are indeed crows, they are quite intelligent birds. It would be fun [well, for me] to just spend as much time as possible watching them and making observations.
When we were digging our pond, I got to "observe" some baby robins growing up, though I never actually saw the babies. Here's what happened: Robin parents were showing up frequently and I was giving them the worms I would dig up [I saved the grubs for the turtles]. At first, the robins [same bird, different birds, same family of birds???] would grab as many worm as they could in their beaks, then swallow them, fly off, repeat, repeat. Gradually, over a week or so, I noticed this change: instead of swallowing the worms, they would carry them off, whole. IOW, the babies had grown from regurgiation-feeding to eating real food. Then, one day......no more visits
Now, every time a robin visits the yard, I wonder if it's one of those [or an offspring] and if it remembers our interactions. It was sweet, even though I didn't see the babies.
The murder, lol, can only eat feed that I have spread on the ground because the squirrel proof feeder has a sprung perch that closes based upon weight. They scare all of the other birds and squirrels.
Such a nice happening Maggie.
Such a nice happening Maggie.
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We watch the crows being chased all the time by the mockingbirds and other smaller birds, they dive bomb them. They are bad about snatching baby birds from nests for a snack
They are extremely intelligent birds and are chancers, in that will eat anything from baby birds to dead animals etc.
So there has to be a reason they are there my friend .
It may be just for a water supply and they have figured hey these strange biped creatures, they feed birds, they have a water supply, we can use that to our advantage "lets stop over".
Dave
So there has to be a reason they are there my friend .
It may be just for a water supply and they have figured hey these strange biped creatures, they feed birds, they have a water supply, we can use that to our advantage "lets stop over".
Dave
They are the only birds I refused to enter the flight of at a bird rescue centre I worked at as as an 11 year old.
Quite frankly Big Lou they used to give me the creeps if I was anywhere near them.
At least with the rest of the birds includng the goose that was their guard dog you knew where you stood with them all.
The crows would do was stare at you with their intelligent yet scary black eyes weighing you up and watch your every move.
The first time I was alone in their flight was my last ..........
Dave
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