Monday, December 16, 2013

December

        When I first found out that crows were in Grand Forks, how happy I was.  I was eager to transcribe their language as I had done when I lived in Schenectady, NY.  But with my job and school, months went by and I only observed them a few times.  Now that work is winding down and school is over my thoughts once again go to the crows.  I wonder where they are, what they are doing, and how they are coping with this incredible cold.  I haven't noticed any large roosting parties.  I can't even remember the last time I heard a CAW. My connection with them is not strong in my heart as it was in Schenectady, NY.  Here in Grand Forks, ND too many things get in the way, school, work, the bitterly cold weather during the winter, and much more.  I've never seen them band together to chase a poor hawk out of the area..which is exciting...although I feel bad for the hawk.
        The crows up here sport very interesting coloring.  The crows in New York State look black - from far away, and up close.  The crows here look black at a distance and brown close up.  I've never seen that coloring on any crow before.  
        After years of longing to be with them, I'm finally back among the crows.  I should appreciate them more and pay closer attention to them.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Getting to Know Crows Better

         This morning I saw crows out and about.  One made a rattling noise to another crow.  It reminded me a situation in the previous post, which one crow made a rattling noise to another crow.  But that seemed to be a negative situation.  This one did not seem to be negative.  Both situations occurred  near the edge of a roof.  In both cases, the one bird that was approaching the edge of the roof seemed to be the bird doing the rattling.  In both cases, the bird being rattled at was sitting on the edge of the roof.
        Additionally today, while I was watching a crow flap its wings, I could hear a sound similar to that of a plastic bag.  I had never known crow wings to make noise.  This crow's wings were positioned differently.  They were not straight out.  The wings dipped in the middle while the crow was flapping.  The next one that flew by did so on silent, straight wings.  I think these two birds may also have been the same ones from the rattling situation.
         I've discovered that in certain light, crows look brown...not an almost black brown, but an interesting shade of brown...a shade that is quite dark,  yet maintains its brown quality.  I've never seen this in all of my years watching birds, until I started paying closer attention to the crows.
           In all of my years watching crows, I've never seen them flying and congregating in such large numbers during the summer and in the middle of the day.  The crows up here in North Dakota just seem...different.  They seem more vocal and seem to have a deeper sense of community.
 

Saturday, August 3, 2013

A Most Intense Conversation

With experiencing nature, there are trade-offs. I no longer live among the common nighthawks, and I miss them so. But to be back among the crows fills me with pleasant feelings and wonder.
 

When I lived in Schenectady, New York, I felt welcomed into their world, a few times. These experiences happened during fall, when people were not in the park or by the water, as I was. There were no calls that I remember, just quiet. I felt close to them. Other times, I was just a spectator but nevertheless, fascinated.
 

Currently, I don't feel as if I am a part of their world, but I do feel somewhat close to them...more close on a regular basis than I have felt in the past. They are always around, living their lives, talking, and don't seem to pay me any mind. In all the experiences I've had with crows, none seemed so vocal as the ones here in North Dakota. Today I came across a conversation which seemed to be intense. There were many crows together, which surprised me because it's still summertime...although I feel as though I can sense the coming of fall. There were about 12 crows in a some trees from what I can see. The trees were close together. Others were on the roof of a nearby building. Others were flying. Some were in a tree a little further down. There seemed to be at least 2 distinct groups of crows. During my observations, the crows expressed different vocals. There was the typical CAW sound. There was a CAW that seemed to be the same in length, but higher in pitch. There was a CAW sound that was expressed more quickly and higher in pitch. Sometimes the typical CAWs were expressed together in unison or near unison. I don't know how many birds were talking. It sounded like a lot, but a particular bird could have been expressing different types of vocals. One bird expressed a sound that I was not familiar with. It seemed to be annoyed with another bird.

There was so much noise, I looked around for a hawk or an owl. I did not see one. It sounded like they were in alarm. However, it would be a mistake for me to read too much into their vocals. After all, the typical sound of crows is naturally very harsh. The vocalizations went on and on. I don't think I've ever heard a more complex conversation among crows before. With no predators around or even birds that resembled predators, I had no idea what they were talking about, but it seemed to be very important.

          

Monday, June 17, 2013

What is a crow? What is a Corvid?

  What is a crow?
          
A crow is  "any of several large glossy black birds of the genus Corvus, having a characteristic raucous call, especially C. brachyrhynchos of North America" (The  Free Dictionary).
          
It's important to note that not all crows are all black.  Even the all black ones aren't all black at times.  Sometimes these black birds will sport iridescent purples and blue-greens when the sun shines on them just right. 

What is a corvid?

          
A corvid is a member of the bird family Corvidae.   There are many species of birds in the family of Corvidae, including crows, ravens, magpies, and jays.  Members of Family Corvidae are very loud birds that are known for their intelligence, mischievous antics, and human-like behaviors.  Corvids are found throughout the world.  They are also found in literature books, as many legends have been written about them.  Although they are considered to be song birds (being members of the order Passeriformes), they are not known for their songs.  In fact, many corvids have annoying, grating voices.  
          
Depending on the particular species, corvidae colors might include blue, green, brown, white, and grey, and of course, black.  The size of these family members can be medium to large, reaching up to 28 inches long.  
           
Corvids are social animals and will provide assistant to others of their species.  The male will help its mate to build a nest.  He will also feed her while she keeps her eggs warm.  Crows will band together and take on predatory birds much bigger than them. They will even take on large birds that do not eat other birds, possibly because they look like predatory birds to them.
          
Corvids use tools;  some even make their own tools from the environment.  According to the BBC, "their total brain-to-body mass ratio is equal to that of great apes and cetaceans, and only slightly lower than in humans."
          
Members of Family Corvidae are found throughout the world.  This family has lots of interesting species.  Here are some of them: 

Crows

  • American Crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos:  United States and Canada
  • Fish Crow, Corvus ossifragus:  United States- Eastern Costals States, Southeast.  Some are found inland.  Schenectady, New York:  rare  
  • Carrion Crow, Corvus corone:   Europe and Asia
  • New Caledonian Crow, Corvus moneduloides: New Caledonian- Grande Terre island and MarĂ© island
  • Hooded Crow, Corvus cornix:  Europe and Asia
  • Cape Crow, Corvus capensis:  Africa
  • House Crow, Corvus splendens:  Asia, Africa, Australasia (Oceania)
  • Northwestern Crow, Corvus caurinus:  United States- western Washington State, lower Alaska and Canada-extreme West
  • Pied Crow, Corvus albus:  Africa  
  • Tamaulipas Crow, Corvus imparatus:  Limited Range in northeastern Mexico and extreme southern Texas.
  • Sinaloa Crow, Corvus sinaloae:  Mexico 

Ravens

  • Common Raven, Corvus corax:  United States- limited range in the east, wide range in the West.  Has been seen in Albany, New York.
  • Fan-tailed Raven, Corvus rhipidurus:  Africa and Asia 
  • Chihuahuan Raven, Corvus cryptoleucus:  United States- Limited range, including eastern Texas, eastern Oaklahoma, and southeastern New Mexico and Mexico
  • White-necked Raven, Corvus albicollis:  Africa
  • Forest Raven, Corvus tasmanicus:  Australia Commonwealth-  southeastern Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria.

RookCorvus frugilegus:  Europe, including England; Africa, including Egypt; Asia, including Iran 


Eurasian Jackdaw, Corvus monedula:  Europe and Asia.  Some have been seen in the northeastern United States. 


Cloughs

  • White-winged Chough, Corcorax melanorhamphos:  Australia- east and southeast mainland (excluding Queensland).
  • Red-billed Chough, Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax: Europe- including England, Brittish Isles, Brittany, Cornwall; Wales; some parts of Scotland; Africa- in the north; Asia
  • Alpine CoughPyrrhocorax graculus:  Africa; Asia; Europe
Magpies
  • Black-billed Magpie, Pica hudsonia:  Western Canada and United States- western half, including Alaska.
  • Yellow-billed Magpie, Pica nuttalli: United States- California

Nutcrackers

  • Clark's Nutcracker, Nucifraga columbiana:  western United States; western Canada.
  • Eurasian Nutcracker, Nucifraga caryocatactes:  Europe and Asia, from Scandinavia to Japan.
  
Jays
  • Gray Jay, Perisoreus canadensis:  Canada- throughout; United States- some western states, but range is not spread all over the western half, Alaska.
  • Pinyon Jay, Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus:  United States- in the west
  • Florida Scrub-Jay, Aphelocoma coerulescens:   United States, only in Florida.
  • Western Scrub-Jay, Aphelocoma californica:  United States- western half, limited range in Texas; Mexico.
  • Green Jay, Cyanocorax yncas: Mexico; limited winter range in Texas, US. 
  • Steller's Jay, Cyanocitta stelleri;  Mexico; United States- western half, very bottom of Alaska; Canada- extreme west. 
  • Brown Jay, Cyanocorax morio:  Mexico
  • Mexican Jay, Aphelocoma wollweberi:  Mexico; United States:  Arizona, New Mexico, extreme southwest Texas
  • Blue Jay, Cyanocitta cristata:  United State- throughout most of the country.  Absent in western coastal states and several several other western states.   Limited winter range in Idaho.

     Sources:

 Farlex, The Free Dictionary, Crow,
     Crow, http://www.thefreedictionary.com/crow
     Australasia, http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Australasia

Encyclopaedia Britannica, 

      Corvid
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/139000/Corvidae
     Eurasian Nutcracker
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/688818/Eurasian-nutcracker

BBC:  Nature, Wildlife, Red-billed Choughs
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Red-billed_Chough

Birds of the World, Corvidae of the World
http://carolinabirds.org/HTML/WLD_Corvidae_Crow.htm

Birds on the Edge, Choughs:  Restoration of the Red-billed Chough in Jersey

http://www.birdsontheedge.org/projects/choughs/

TripAdvisor, Cornwall Vacations
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g186234-Cornwall_England-Vacations.html

Birds in Backyard
          White-winged Chough
http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Corcorax-melanorhamphos
          Forest Raven:  Basic Information
http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Corvus-tasmanicus

New World Encyclopedia

Rook (bird)
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Rook_(
bird)

Tamara Cohen, Mail Online, Rook with a Hook Proves Bird Brains are the Equal of Monkeys'
Updated May 26, 2009
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1187429/Rook-hook-proves-bird-brains-equal-monkeys.html

Alsop, F.J., III.  (2001).  Birds of North America:  Eastern Region.  New York:  DK.


Tekiela, S. (2000).  Birds of New York:  Field Guide.  Cambridge, Minnesota:  Adventure.

Behavioural Ecology Research Group:  University of Oxford, Crow Natural History
http://users.ox.ac.uk/~kgroup/tools/crow_natural_history.shtml

Cornell Lab of Orthinology, All About Birds, Bird Guide
     Jays, Magpies, and Crows:  (Order: Passeriformes, Family: Corvidae)
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/browse_tax/20/
      Northwestern Crow
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northwestern_Crow/id
     Yellow-billed Magpie
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-billed_Magpie/id
     Mexican Jay
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mexican_Jay/id
     Pinyon Jay
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pinyon_Jay/id

Memories of upstate New York

When I lived in South Dakota, the area I resided in had no crows.  For years...years, I lived my life without them and I missed them terribly.  Many times I found myself thinking about the many experiences I had with them when I lived in upstate New York, as I longed to be near them again.  
          
Back in upstate New York, many times I found myself pulled in their world, charmed by them, annoyed by them, but always fasincated by them.  I remember one sunny day when a hawk in pursuit of one crow ended up in a tree under a darkened sky.  The lone crow had turned on the hawk and became the pursuer.  Suddenly the sky was full of crows and a scream could be heard from the tree the hawk had taken refuge in.
          
During the fall in Albany, New York, I witnessed crows gathered by the hundreds during the evening.  Never had I'd seen so many birds in my life.  They moved in an enormous circle, while no one else even seemed to notice.  In Schenectady, the gatherings were smaller.  I remember that eerie yet fascinating feeling I got, standing by the window, looking up into the grey sky and seeing a group of them roosting in the trees.
          
One day in Schenectady, New York, I just stood there listening to what seemed to be a pretty lengthy conversation that the crows were having.  The conversation seemed to be coming from low trees.  I stood there in awe while the birds seemed to call back and forth to each other.

Here in North Dakota, the crows are very vocal, perhaps even more vocal than in upstate New York.  They seem more demanding, and perhaps a bit more regal.  I look forward to observing roosting behaviors in the fall.
      

Saturday, June 15, 2013

When Crows Talk

On of the things that fascinate me about crows are their vocals.  Crow vocals are not just noise.  These birds are saying something...talking.  They have even been known to curse.  What most humans hear as just loud noise are actually sounds that fluctuate some way, such as intensity.  Their language is important and complex.  Also, they make other sounds in addition to CAW.
          
Today a crow, smallish, was perched on a tall, thick, wooden post.  It called and another bird seemed to call back to it.  I paid attention to the several times this occurred, to make sure that this was not a coincidence.  It appears that this was not.  One time the other bird called out first and the crow on the post seemed to respond.  
          
After the conversation was over, I saw a bird floating down toward the ground.  I looked up and the crow was gone from the wooden post.  Perhaps this was the same bird.  The bird approaching the ground flying with it's legs hanging.  I've never seen a crow fly with it's feet hanging down before.  They were large, big, black feet.  It was such a sight.  Here was this bird, with fingers (feathers spread out so far you can see the spaces between the feathers at the edge of the wings), and large, pretty black feet handing down.  It was such a sight. 
         

Monday, March 25, 2013

Welcome

Welcome to this blog.  For years I lived in a place where there were no crows.  Yes, such places in the United States do exist!  I'm so glad I now live in an area where crows roam the sky. 

Crows are loud, marvelous, and endearing creatures that have people-like qualities.  American crows have a complex language.  These creatures aren't just making noise, they are talking!  Crows and their kin can be found roaming the skies of various continents.  If you live in an area where crows fly (most likely you do), take some time to notice them.  They are fascinating creatures.