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.
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Summer
In Grand Forks we seem to go from winter to fall, back to winter, to summer...at least that it seems like. No matter what the date is, it seems like, at least for now, that we are in the middle of summer. Gone are long spans of quiet days and now the crows seem to be in full swing. There are a variety of vocals being expressed now- some sound more demanding than others.
The other day I saw a crow fly by. I heard AH-AH. The second AH had a different pitch than the first AH and it was slightly more elongated. I heard this vocal event twice.
One day from the bathroom window, I could hear some kind of uproar outside. It was like nothing I had ever remember hearing, not even when the crows surrounded some poor trouble making hawk on a college campus in Schenectady, New York.
Crows call while flying, something which I have only witnessed in some birds: common swifts, common nighthawks, and killdeers are birds that come to mind. Crows also call when perched. Their many calls seem to have a purpose...much more than "get away from my nest," or trying to attract a mate...which I don't know is even true for them. Speaking of mates, the other day I saw some interesting movements and wondered if I was watching mating rituals. There were two crows involved and flying took place over a very small area among the trees. At least one of the crows would fly down from a tree towards the ground and then fly back up in a sweeping motion. After watching it some times, the movements seem to have a purpose, at least to me. More observations are needed!
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Spring
It's been a long, rough winter. It's early April, and yet snow is everywhere. The crows had been so quiet these past months. I remember one very cold day this winter seeing two crows standing in the snow, one right behind the other. They were silent. I can't imagine what it must have been like for them to experience this extremely cold winter. I believe on that day the wind chill factor was 42 degrees below 0. I saw them while I was getting in a cab to go to school.
Some weeks ago, they became quite vocal again, although they haven't nearly reached their full noise potential yet. The other day I saw two crows in a parking lot between two parked cars next to something that appeared to be a bag from a fast food restaurant. One of them was dragging the bag with it's mouth even though a puddle of water was right there. The drags were short efforts, not one long drag. After I passed the car that impeded my vision from them as I was walking, I saw that they had been successful with the bag. They had come out between the two parked cars and the bag was with them. One of them used it's beak to turn the bag upside down and food came out. One of them picked up some kind of nugget with its mouth. It was really something to watch, as crows are so intelligent.
Although it was a nice experience, I still feel somewhat disconnected to them. Back in Schenectady, New York, I felt like I was "right with them." But these crows are different. I feel no connection to them and I don't know why. Maybe it's the environment I'm in. It's much easier to feel connected with animals when you are in a park or a college campus that is stretched out. This campus isn't, too open, at least in the areas I usually see the crows. There are houses and buildings all around and I don't feel my heart opening up. Is it me? Or, are these crows just so different? I will tell you though, these crows have guts! I know crows can be bold, but one crow was perched on a sign and someone walked right by. That person was very, very close and that crow showed no fear...did not flinch...did not fly away. I think that other birds would have just naturally flown away. But I think it takes more for a crow to be scared. Still, the person was soooo close. I'm guessing that this is a wonderful sign, that they crows have not been persecuted or bothered in this area. I'm happy for them.
Some weeks ago, they became quite vocal again, although they haven't nearly reached their full noise potential yet. The other day I saw two crows in a parking lot between two parked cars next to something that appeared to be a bag from a fast food restaurant. One of them was dragging the bag with it's mouth even though a puddle of water was right there. The drags were short efforts, not one long drag. After I passed the car that impeded my vision from them as I was walking, I saw that they had been successful with the bag. They had come out between the two parked cars and the bag was with them. One of them used it's beak to turn the bag upside down and food came out. One of them picked up some kind of nugget with its mouth. It was really something to watch, as crows are so intelligent.
Although it was a nice experience, I still feel somewhat disconnected to them. Back in Schenectady, New York, I felt like I was "right with them." But these crows are different. I feel no connection to them and I don't know why. Maybe it's the environment I'm in. It's much easier to feel connected with animals when you are in a park or a college campus that is stretched out. This campus isn't, too open, at least in the areas I usually see the crows. There are houses and buildings all around and I don't feel my heart opening up. Is it me? Or, are these crows just so different? I will tell you though, these crows have guts! I know crows can be bold, but one crow was perched on a sign and someone walked right by. That person was very, very close and that crow showed no fear...did not flinch...did not fly away. I think that other birds would have just naturally flown away. But I think it takes more for a crow to be scared. Still, the person was soooo close. I'm guessing that this is a wonderful sign, that they crows have not been persecuted or bothered in this area. I'm happy for them.
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.
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.
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.
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