The crows in Grand Forks, North Dakota are like no crows that I have ever experienced. Here in Grand Forks, they are much more vocal. Conversations are common and lengthy. This morning while walking I witnessed the second of two morning conversations, the first occurring earlier when I was home. Vocals were short, high-pitched AHs that sounded like the yappings of chihuahuas.
Today I heard screams in the sky. They were hawk screams. It wasn't being chased or bothered by any crows, it was just screaming while it flew. This reminds of of the fact that I have wondered why crows don't gang up on the hawks up here and send them packing out of the area like the do in Schenectady, New York. It's really interesting to see, although I feel bad for the hawks. In Schenectady, lone crows have taken on hawks and have chased them...still, here in Grand Forks, the hawks may scream while flying, but the crows are definitely the dominant ones!
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Sunday, June 1, 2014
The Gabbin' Continues
A little while ago I went to take out the garbage. I seemed to come across a continuation of the conversation. There were 2 crows on the ground, but the vocals seemed to be coming from the trees. Again, there was a crow talking in a high pitched voice and another crow talking in a lower pitched voice. The second crow seemed to be answering the first one.
From what I can tell, crows don't seem to have distinctive voices, except in the case of younger crows and adults. I do wonder why one was high pictched and the other crow spoke in a lower pitched voice. I know that differences in volume mean something. I do believe that differences in pitch and differences in intensity may mean certain things as well. Is there a hiearchy among the crows? I don't know. Does the difference in pitch come into play? I don't know. Crows are family birds. I have never read about hiearchy in crows. But is there a social hiearchy within a family of crows? What does this difference in pitch mean? It's going to be an interesting summer!
Update on 06/23/14: I found out that crows do have distinctive voices. Perhaps the difference in voices had nothing to do with social status. There is so much that I have to learn! All I know is that crows are fascinating and their language is complex!
From what I can tell, crows don't seem to have distinctive voices, except in the case of younger crows and adults. I do wonder why one was high pictched and the other crow spoke in a lower pitched voice. I know that differences in volume mean something. I do believe that differences in pitch and differences in intensity may mean certain things as well. Is there a hiearchy among the crows? I don't know. Does the difference in pitch come into play? I don't know. Crows are family birds. I have never read about hiearchy in crows. But is there a social hiearchy within a family of crows? What does this difference in pitch mean? It's going to be an interesting summer!
Update on 06/23/14: I found out that crows do have distinctive voices. Perhaps the difference in voices had nothing to do with social status. There is so much that I have to learn! All I know is that crows are fascinating and their language is complex!
Gabbin' on a Sunday Morning.
This morning I heard a conversation outside. My knowledge of this morning is completely by sound, as the shades were closed and I was on the computer. It sounded like two crows calling back and forth to each other. The first one expressed a series of AHs. The second one answered back. The first one talked in a high pitch- possibly the highest pitch I've ever heard from a crow. At least one time when a crow answered back, the AHs changed. The first AH was higher followed by at least one lower pitched AH, possibly more. There appeared to be a few calling and answering sessions. The conversation seems to be continuing but much further away now.
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