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Author Topic: Where's all the corvids?
disobedient
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2915

posted 23 September 2002 09:25 PM      Profile for disobedient     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
It's embarrassing, but true. I'm kind of a corvid nut. I wouldn't go so far as to call myself a birder, because I only enjoy the corvids, the rest of the birds are dumb as bricks as far as I'm concerned. I read a book by Bernd Heinrich called "The Mind of the Raven". Crows, ravens, jays and magpies are incredibly smart!

Anyway, they usually proliferate in southern Ontario and I haven't seen any in over two weeks. I think West Nile Virus is killing them off, or perhaps they're moving north to get away from it.

I'm just curious about whether or not any of the posters here had seen any, and if so, where?


From: Ontario | Registered: Jul 2002  |  IP: Logged
rasmus
malcontent
Babbler # 621

posted 24 September 2002 03:17 AM      Profile for rasmus   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Crows, ravens, jays and magpies are incredibly smart!

Ahem. Thank you.

I actually read recently that crows were on the increase in cities, but I concur with you. I haven't seen nearly as many crows and ravens in T.O. as I recall seeing before. Could West Nile really be the culprit?

I recently thought I saw a flock of magpies in a tree here. Is that possible???? I'm a little clueless about such things.


From: Fortune favours the bold | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
flotsom
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2832

posted 24 September 2002 03:35 AM      Profile for flotsom   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Threw a short leg of ginger into the rainforest once.

An hour later--a raven flew overhead with my little ginger in its beak, only to drop it on me...onto the toe of my boot.

Kept that piece for a few years in a leather pouch.

Stellar's Jays? (whiskeyjacks, whissa - ke -jed; another trine)

I wrote a haiku 'bout a friend-- my stellar's jay.

haiku

to learn how to look
someday see a whiskeyjack
fly off with your keys

that little bastard

[ September 24, 2002: Message edited by: flotsom ]


From: the flop | Registered: Jul 2002  |  IP: Logged
flotsom
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2832

posted 24 September 2002 03:58 AM      Profile for flotsom   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
No, now is the major transition time for every creature...food that's been stored is re-collected, nests, perches, territories are reinforced.

As far as the alleged stupidity of birds is concerned--I suppose you weren't aware that albatroses, for one example, live often as many as seventy years.

The other day I found a dead crow at the edge of a bog I visit from time to time...not to sound too rash or skeptical, but I sat there for a long while thinking "okay you knuckleheads...let's get this innoculation over with."

Pounding headache...getting sleepy...can't breath too well...*gasp*

Gimme a break.

West Nile Virus

[ September 24, 2002: Message edited by: flotsom ]


From: the flop | Registered: Jul 2002  |  IP: Logged
disobedient
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2915

posted 24 September 2002 11:09 AM      Profile for disobedient     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
I really don't think I'm being alarmist or paranoid about this, I'm just curious. My parents (who live in Metro Toronto) usually have a pile of jays in their backyard this time of year, and there's been none. Out where I live, there's almost always crows flying around signalling each other in the mornings and they are gone too. The last crow I saw was over two weeks ago. I'd gone for a drive in the country and my friend and I spotted one lonely one on the side of the road, and half of his feathers were missing.

The only logical explanation I could think of was WNV, since it seems to be hitting the corvids more than any other species of bird.

Btw, what does the longevity of the albatross have to do with its intelligence?


From: Ontario | Registered: Jul 2002  |  IP: Logged

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