http://baynature.org/articles/home-mountain/



Moderator: Soñadora
BeauV wrote:So, I know we live next to a lot of empty mountains (well almost empty except for the Mary Jane growers) But once in a while I see articles like this and I'm amazed. This is where I mountain bike and only about 2 minutes from our home in town by the harbor.
http://baynature.org/articles/home-mountain/
Olaf Hart wrote:They are smarter as well.
SloopJonB wrote:Olaf Hart wrote:They are smarter as well.
That's the one thing that was incorrect about the quote I thought - the average crow is smarter than the average outlaw biker.![]()
I once watched a crow pull a wrapped sandwich out of a dumpster and UNWRAP it - it didn't tear at the wrapping, it inspected it and then unwrapped the folds in sequence.
I was amazed and developed a whole new respect for them. It's a shame they have such ugly voices.
Charlie wrote:This Spring has been a banner year for black bear. We have at least one female with two cubs in the neighborhood, plus a compliment of males wandering through. We've averaged two bears per week in the yard. It's nice to see them - as long as they don't get into the garbage can.
Rasp wrote:SloopJonB wrote:Olaf Hart wrote:They are smarter as well.
That's the one thing that was incorrect about the quote I thought - the average crow is smarter than the average outlaw biker.![]()
I once watched a crow pull a wrapped sandwich out of a dumpster and UNWRAP it - it didn't tear at the wrapping, it inspected it and then unwrapped the folds in sequence.
I was amazed and developed a whole new respect for them. It's a shame they have such ugly voices.
I had to think for a moment about the ugly crow voice comment but I guess you are right, it pretty bad as far a bird calls go. They are a bit of Johhny One Notes. Here is an interesting tidbit about crow calls.
Researchers for the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority found over 200 dead crows near greater Boston recently, and there was concern that they may have died from Avian Flu. A Bird Pathologist examined the remains of all the crows, and, to everyone's relief, confirmed the problem was definitely NOT Avian Flu. The cause of death appeared to be vehicular impacts.
However, during the detailed analysis it was noted that varying colors of paints appeared on the bird's beaks and claws. By analyzing these paint residues it was determined that 98% of the crows had been killed by impact with trucks, while only 2% were killed by an impact with a car.
MTA then hired an Ornithological Behaviorist to determine if there was a cause for the disproportionate percentages of truck kills versus car kills.
The Ornithological Behaviorist very quickly concluded the cause: when crows eat road kill, they always have a look-out crow in a nearby tree to warn of impending danger.
The scientific conclusion was that while all the lookout crows could say "Cah", none could say "Truck."
Olaf Hart wrote:The crows around here have learnt to gang up and pull the road kill to the road verge before they eat it.
And there is a lot of road kill, so a lot of crows.
Joli wrote:Crows were harassing the shit out of my outdoor cat. It had reached the point that even with the cat sitting inside on the window sill, they would fly to the screen and try to peck through. I opened the back slider door, tossed the cat out, the cat was terrified and hunkered down. Thirty seconds later the crows landed all around him and started to attack. One stayed in a branch cawing, he's the one that died when the air pellet went through his head. Never saw a crow after that, the cat ate crow that afternoon.