Blessings for Edgar

I’m very worried tonight about one of my resident crows.  He has separated from his “murder” and taken up a vigil close to the house.   I have only seen him eat a single salted-in-the-shell peanut during this time period. Today I gave Edgar an entire suet cake of his own but he did not touch it.   I have watched him fly and hop so he does not have a wing or leg injury.  He seems sad rather than sick.  A broken heart, perhaps? Chandel wonders if he lost a mate?  Whatever burden he is bearing,  I pray he can recover.  

(please click on images to embiggen) 

 

More Crow Stories

Special thanks to our friend Chandel for sending along the wonderful photo below of a crow targeting a bald eagle.  

More evidence of crows bravely serving as sentinels of the forest.  In this case, she explained, the eagle was unfazed and did not retreat, however, the crow’s commotion served as a warning and saved countless creatures like rabbits, muskrats, ducks, geese, raccoons and even fawns!  All hail, the incredible and courageous crow!

(from around the web)

 --crows can scavenge twice their body weight in food each day.

--cows have funerals for their dead comrades in which hundreds of crows from all around attend.

--crows are known for their adaptable characteristics as they can survive in a variety of habitats, from the icy polar areas, woodlands, plains, mountains, to farms and urban areas as well. 

--The first crows appeared in Miocene, 17 million years ago, in Australia and Oceania. Crows belong in the Corvidae family, which counts over 120 species spread all over the world, excepting Antarctica.

--Crows are the smartest birds in the world. They are much more intelligent than the owls or any other prey birds. Besides, they are more clever, sly and tricky than a parrot.

--When specialists made some intelligence tests on dogs, cats, pigs and crows, the last ones won beyond question. Moreover, a study made in 2004 revealed that crows are more intelligent than bonobo chimpanzees. In other words, crows are the smartest creatures on earth, after humans. This is why, many scientist started referring to these birds as feathered apes.

--Crows have a complex language and each “caw” can have a different meaning. They can warn a dangerous situation, they can mimic the sounds made by other animals, or they can even learn how to associate noises with certain events.  Captive crows can learn to talk.

 

--In the wild, crows live an average of 10 years. In captivity they can live up to 30 years.

--Crows are omnivores meaning they eat everything from meat and bugs to grains and vegetables.  They also eat carrion and thus play a role as "nature's clean up crew."  Farmers don't like it when crows eat their crops, so they put up scarecrows, however, the crows aren't really scared of them because they're smart enough to know it's not a real person.  But the farmers are mistaken because crows don't damage the crops that much.  Instead, they actually help farmers by eating the bad insects in their crops.

--Crows store some of their food in short-term caches, which are hiding places for food that are scattered around, rather than in one place. They may be in tree crevices or on the ground, where they are often covered with leaves or other materials. Crows are also tricksters and pretend to cache their food when another crow is looking, then later they hide it in another spot.

--When not breeding, thousands of crows gather in areas called roosts where they sleep together. It is safer for them to stay together and avoid predators like cats, owls, hawks, snakes and humans. Crows will group together to caw (yell) at and chase predators. This behavior is called mobbing.

--Crows are very social and live in family groups from 2 to 15 birds. They forage (look for food) together and preen (clean) each other.

--Crow offspring (children) often stay with their families and help raise new babies.

 
--Crows, Ravens and other Corvids, are considered to be the most intelligent of all birds. They  make and use tools such as bending a piece of wire into a hook to retrieve something they want, or placing nuts in the path of an oncoming car to break them open. They have an excellent memory and can recognize people's faces. Your neighborhood crows will get to know you well especially if you throw them shelled peanuts or dog kibble.

--Corvids are also self-aware like humans, primates and dolphins.

In Praise of Crows

I have a confession to make.  I haven’t always been kind to the crows that call Bon Bon Pond home.  While they are welcome to eat the seeds I throw on the ground, I shoo them away from the suet feeders. On more than one occasion, I have scolded and shushed them for making a racket.  Never again.

This morning I witnessed one of the most valiant and selfless efforts I have ever seen.  While enjoying my morning coffee I heard the excited “caw caw cawing” of an agitated crow.  Looking out the window I saw no songbirds but instead witnessed a lone crow fly low thru the front yard, then swoop into the area adjacent to the gazebo, before returning to his murder in the backyard.  

Together the flock started raising a ruckus.  I walked out on the deck to closer inspect the commotion and, sure as shootin’, spotted a hawk in the dogwood tree.  The crows had him surrounded and were noisily voicing their disapproval. Finally, tired of the incessant squawking, the bird of prey lifted from the branches and took off for across the pond.  Like a fighter squadron, a group of crows closely accompanied the  magnificent marauder, thus ensuring he wouldn’t, or couldn’t, double back.  With the raptor gone the songbirds soon appeared back at the feeders.

I was speechless.  The crows had not only warned the little birds of danger but had protected them. What brave and heroic creatures!  They have forever earned my respect and, yes, my suet. 

Today offered yet one more valuable lesson from the world of wildlife and a great reminder as to what makes a wonderful community:  watch out for your neighbors and stick together for the greater good. 

Something to Crow About!

It’s time for me to eat a little crow—figuratively speaking, that is. I often get exasperated with these huge black beasts and their never-ending quest to steal the little birds’ suet but I must confess, their ingenuity and creativity make me smile.

I finally figured out a way to keep the cakes in the basket by using twist ties to secure the locking mechanism but I know the murder has their best engineers working on the problem.  I may have won this battle, but the war wages on . . .

One particularly forward fellow, nicknamed Fred, has taken to perching on my fountain where he can play in the water while watching me type away at this blog.  It’s harder than heck to get a good photo thru a screened window but today I got lucky and captured Fred in all his ebony ebullience.  Caw Caw Caw-ing away, I have no doubt he was feelin’ frisky and  channeling his inner Bobby Darin.