The noble Carrion Crow is a terrific creature. Eeks out a living in all weather, town or country. Never behind the door when an opportunity to rush a rival and snatch the pickings presents itself, we could learn a lot from their attitude to life. I watched an obviously older crow earlier on one leg bate all round him back from the door of the van to claim the generous spoils I was sending his way. He was simply not going to be beaten, left or right, and I tested him. I feigned left and went wide right… cleaned up. Twas like watching Seán Finn in full flight.
Throw a few lumps of your overpacked deli sandwiches out the car window to the humble street cleaner, lads.
Caw. Caw.
Appreciation not extended to the Rook, the Grey or the idiot Jackdaw.
The Larsen for magpies maybe? . If you know, you know.
But, lest we digress, I believe the crows roost in a hierarchical structure in the trees at night, with the leader at the highest point. He’d usually have a lacky with him, a gofer learning his trade.
All the other unvetted males of fighting age perched below, scheming. That awful racket you’d hear at dusk may well be an attempt to ‘knock him off his perch’… they gang together in an attempt to overthrow the leader and fight to claim his authority. Hence the phrase ‘a murder of crows’.
@FatChops, as the forums prime corvid expert, can you explain the reason why crows line up in droves on telephone lines at this time of year or the behaviour around it?
A parliament of crows as they say. The feeding is done for the day and whatever squabbles and slights were occurring earlier are thrashed out and resolved before nightfall. The only lone crow you’ll see is a sick one, they can’t do anything on their own; ganging together gives them a sense of security and a telephone wire I’d imagine is a great vantage point for century duty.
Why this time of year in particular I’m not sure. Are they making a racket above there?
. If you know, you know.
