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Crows and Cavity NestersIn addition to Messages that have appeared in the Bluebird Mailing Lists on this topic, the following are on the Audubon Society of Omaha website: Predators and Problems On The Bluebird Trail Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 12:15:24 -0400 Checked BB box on post of cedar fence in my vegetable garden Sunday; the 5 babies were fine and occupied only the bottom of nest bowl; not even close to fledging. Parents were busily feeding Sunday and Monday, and had become comfortable doing so even though I was working in garden. Went to garden Tuesday evening and realized there was no feeding activity; opened box: no babies and no damage to nest or box. Wife said she had seen a big crow in garden Tues. (a crow had actually pried off the top of a cheap, thin, box, held together with staples, several years ago, to eat BB eggs, and they constantly destroy mocking bird nests). There are no other clues, and I question whether the crow could have reached the babies in this case. Any ideas? Thanks. Jim McKelvey, Sykesville, MD (approx. 25 miles west of Baltimore)
Date: Tue, 6 Jun 2000 13:52:22 -0500
Date: Tue, 6 Jun 2000 14:00:54 -0500
Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2000 07:47:34 -0500 Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas almost record cold this morning at 58*F & bright sunshine Once again we get a report of a bird robbing a nestbox. This time a crow picked off a Tree Swallow. I got a report of a Starling in a Peterson box with the oval hole this morning. I know that NABS does not endorse the extra thickness of the wooden predator block anymore but they do help in cases of the crow attack by keeping the baby birds a little further from the entrance hole. It would be great if we could get the amount of roof overhang, total depth of nestbox, height of hole off the floor and total depth of nest and distance between nestbox front to nest cup along with the size of entrance hole and how far below the roof the hole is located. If it is a well known box type then just state the type. Is it a 4"x4" or 5"x5" "Duncan" style for example. Is it a flat roof, sloped or peaked roof design? Although crows raiding "bluebird" boxes is rarely reported they commonly are seen raiding Purple Martin houses. (You may have 50 pairs of martins & 200 potential meals for the crows in a single location near a persons house.) How many have reported a couple young birds from their boxes "disappearing" without a trace this year? Look at how many are afraid to open their boxes the last week before fledging because of the horribly well publicized myth of not opening the box after the 13th day! Most would not know if they had five fledge or only one that survived from a predator bird attack! This crow and their mate now know how to raid "bluebird" boxes they will teach 3-6 young how to do this as soon as the young can fly. Next year 4-6 PAIRS of crows will know to do this! After 10 years how many will have learned? Instead of condemning these crows we need to thank them and start building boxes they cannot feed from! A very simple Magpie proof box was rigged in mid season by one of the bluebirders working with Myrna Pearman in Alberta, Canada when they had an exploding problem with a large number of Magpies that "learned" how to strip young birds out of nestboxes in a single year. They took thin flashing metal (30 Ga.) and nailed/screwed it down to the roofs of their nestboxes so that the metal extended 7" more than the roof. The magpies fed from the short roof overhang of shallow depth nestboxes (designed years before NABS was created by Larry Zeleny and "The Gang") by reaching over the front edge and pulling the young out through the entrance hole. By using this metal add on roof, as the magpies walked to the front of the box the metal bent down dumping the bird off the roof and momentarily covering the area of the entrance hole. Without the birds weight the metal sprang back up in the flat position. This is also very good for extra shade for the sides of the boxes and might also help slightly in protecting the box from a cat raiding the box from the roof. Please try this simple "crow, jay & magpie" diet control device and send the list daily updates on this box until the birds fledge. KK
Date: Fri, 7 Jul 2000 15:11:13 -0400 (EDT) from another list... (most members live in the Carolinas) ---------- Forwarded Message ---------- I have had a Bluebird Trail on Glen Cannon Golf Course for over 30 years. Average 40 babies a year. On July 6, while walking up on the ladies #7 tee- I was listening to and watching a family of bluebirds flying in and out of a nearby tree. Three crows, that hang out in the area and steal food from golf carts, flew over my head. One crow flew into a flying young bluebird- it fell to the ground and the crow dropped on top of it. Bluebird parents went into action- I ran toward the victim but one crow picked up the young bird, flew across a small stream. One or maybe three crows had something other than a peanut butter sandwich for lunch. I have a double-bogie on #7.
Date: Wed, 9 Aug 2000 13:42:31 -0400
Date: Wed, 09 Aug 2000 15:17:54 -0400
Date: Wed, 9 Aug 2000 12:44:38 -0400
Date: Wed, 9 Aug 2000 21:45:41 -0500
I read the post about the crows being such avid predators and was not aware
of the dangers they posed. I supposed as the "big boy" on the block, they would
bully any smaller birds, but was unaware they ate live prey. I thought they were
strictly carion eaters. Seems the more I know, the more amazed I am that ANY
bluebirds make it.
ate: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 11:03:58 -0500
Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 12:56:32 -0400 I fed mine for about 5 years and never had the EABL or any other birds in my yard scatter for a crow the way they do when a sharpie is moving through. I think that says something! However, I know they are opportunists and given that their populations are not hurting, I decided it was best to stop feeding my buddies. It was a very hard choice and one I still regret. However they still come to my bird baths and dunk their food. Anyway, last year long after I had stopped feeding them, I believe they ate one of my fledging babies. Reason is because I watched it come out of the box and head for the trees (very good baby). About 3 minutes later, Mr and Mrs EABL started chasing a crow that was sitting in the same tree. Odds are not good for that baby, now are they! It was then I realized I probably made the best choice to not feed my buddies
- one that I am committed to in protecting my EABL best I can.
Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 13:02:03 -0400
Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 14:48:46 -0500
Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 17:21:35 -0700
Date: Fri, 8 Dec 2000 08:43:17 -0500 To: The Constituency, I probably have the least-frequented bird feeders in the county, but this morning, to my intense astonishment, with the temperature at 4°, at exactly 8:26, there was a bird (!) on the ground, just under the black-oil tube, - a huge, shiny, handsome, jet-black crow!!! (He eyed me briefly and lumbered off.) That might not seem like a big deal to most of you folks, but in my case it was NEWS. I know, of course, that the crow is the centuries-old symbol of evil, death, horror, pestilence, disaster, foreboding, terror, etc., and he ain't no Bluebird, but I'm grateful for any small favor. Who knows? Maybe tomorrow a Chickadee! Bruce Burdett, NH Bluebird Conspiracy, Sunapee NH
Date: Fri, 8 Dec 2000 15:23:07 EST Boy, that is sad! I am really beginning to feel compassion for your birdless self. :^) Here I was feeling sorry for myself because I only have one pair of each, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, downey's, etc. ... I'll shut-up now! A crow?? I'm not sure that's a favor. Oh well, one should never look a gift horse (bird) in the mouth (or was that in the hand .. or bush)?? Linda - Ind.
Date: Fri, 08 Dec 2000 15:48:36 -0500 Linda and Bruce: I will let you borrow some of my birds. About the only thing I have a pair of is downys and bluejays. We have one red bellied woodpecker, a couple of nuthatches, 2-3 pair of titmice, we have what seems like 10 pair of house finches, 5 pair of chickadees, 5 pair of goldfinches, 4-5 pair of cardinals, a bunch of juncos, 40-50 mourning doves - and the dreaded house sparrows (we have about 3 or 4 of those and working on getting rid of them). We try to use only sunflower seeds during the summer, but the winter time we like to feed all the birds and have acquired the 3-4 sparrows that are unwanted. So I will tell them tonight when I get home to come and visit your house. Barb DeLong At 03:23 PM 12/8/2000 EST, Dinlows"at"aol.com wrote: Boy, that is sad! I am really beginning to feel compassion for your birdless
Date: Fri, 8 Dec 2000 14:45:16 -0800 (PST) Hi All, Bruce I feel so bad for you ... No birds!! :( Now I don't mean to rub this in ... and I know its going to make Judy Mellon jealous ... BUT I have LOTS of birds including my favorite the Eastern Bluebird ... :) Every morning at dawn they are sitting in the Mulberry tree waiting on me and the mealworms. It is suppose to be down to around 20 degrees all next week during the days and even colder nights, one night it is suppose to get down to 8 degrees and an ice storm on Monday. It makes me alittle nervous for all the birds and I will definitely put out more mealworms and seed than I usually do. I feed safflower seed and sunflower chips to the seed eaters and I have not had house sparrows, they only visit my birdbath occasionally. The Bluebirds in our area are good and fat, so everyone up North who have no bluebirds right now can count on them to be fat and sassy when they return in the spring. Kerry in NE corner of Okla. --- Bruce Burdett blueburd"at"srnet.com wrote: To: The Constituency,
Date: Sat, 9 Dec 2000 08:42:18 -0500 To Rick Varner, et al, Thanks for the suggestion. I've tried that. A lot of sunflower seed that I scattered on the front deck near the suet-feeder a week or so ago is still there, untouched. (I use both kinds of sunflower seed, but mostly black oil)Under the back-yard feeders I've scattered cracked corn, but no seed yet. (Last year the corn attracted a half-dozen turkeys and the annual Juncos-in-transit.) Both these sites, front and back, have always had busy traffic at this time of year in the past. It's often been a _mob _scene. I think that there just aren't many birds around. At our local-chapter Audubon meeting last night, most of the people present reported little or no traffic at their feeders. Another possible factor is that we still have no snow on the ground. We had 4" on Oct. 29, but it was gone within 24 hours. The weather this fall has been more mild than normal. Maybe the birds are still finding sustenance enough without difficulty. I've seen no hawks or owls patrolling the area, and I haven't seen a cat in our yard in months. The local stray cats have learned about my Crossman. Because I tend to be an optimist, I'm telling myself, "It's just cyclical." Thanks again for your suggestion. I'm trying everything. And meanwhile I still have my occasional Hairy and Downy. Bruce Burdett, NH Bluebird Conspiracy, -----Original Message----- From: Rick Varner rickvarner"at"mindspring.com Bruce, When we put out initial feeders, I always scatter several handfuls of
Date: Sun, 17 Jun 2001 11:19:11 -0400 My bluebird box is on it's third brood (2 this year, 1 last) and I've never seen this before. Perhaps someone can give me advice. I saw a pair of crows this morning, one on the ground in front of the bluebird box and one sitting on the box. My box has a steeply sloping roof, so it wasn't easy for him to stay on but he persisted and inched his way to the front where he began poking his head down over the edge and into the hole. He wasn't being very successful and the bluebird pair was divebombing him, but he kept trying and succeeding in getting his head partially in the hole before I chased him off. Interestingly, the bluebird pair has responded to this attack by going on the offensive and chasing everything out of the yard, even the bird species they used to peacefully coexist with until now. Would the crow be able to reach the baby bluebirds? They are in the bottom of the box, a good four inches from the hole. How can I let the crows know that this is not a breakfast stop? Can I glue nails to the sloped top of the box, point side up to keep them from getting to the edge? Is the bluebird's aggressive reaction normal? If so, does this heightened awareness cool down? Pam Ford Date: Sun, 17 Jun 2001 12:30:42 -0400 ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- Hi Pam & All: What a way to start the day -- CROWS looking for breakfast. I might offer a suggestion or two to help your baby bluebirds -- do you own a high-powered water pistol?? It would be especially effective if you doused the crow on the ground under the box. Does the box have a predator guard, one can be added even at this late date if it is pre-drilled w/screws and attached by hand w/little disturbance. I have done this and parents entered box w/no problems. Crows are so intelligent & the fact that they are protected makes it difficult to control them. I would try to discourage their presence before the nestlings fledge at which time they are expecially vulnerable. The aggressive displays by the parents who are under this stress is quite normal. Often, I just clap my hands and the crows scurry but we can't be at the boxes every minute. Perhaps some of the List members can offer additional suggestions. Betty Nichols, Middletown, MD ======================================================================== My bluebird box is on it's third brood (2 this year, 1 last) and I've never ... Date: Sun, 17 Jun 2001 12:45:26 -0400 Elizabeth Nichols wrote: Often, I just clap my hands and the crows scurry but we can't be This may sound crazy, but how about feeding the crows? We have a family of crows (anywhere from 6 to 8) that frequents our yard year round, and I regularly feed them scraps, leftovers and even catfood that my animals have snubbed, at the bottom of the yard, away from the nestboxes and other feeders. The crows come and go in the yard, but I have never seen them staking out any of our nestboxes. In return, they are excellent sentinels, and give timely warning of hawks, cats and other marauders. -- Date: Sun, 17 Jun 2001 15:08:33 EDT Katherine and all: The crows are fun to watch but they also carry West Nile
virus. I would highly discourage them. I have a friend at work who says the Judy Date: Sun, 17 Jun 2001 17:10:48 -0400 Haleya Priest Amherst MA I am a big crow fan and used to feed the crows in my yard until I witnessed a crow snag a new fledgling. I still respect and admire crows, but have stopped feeding them. I think that eventually they'll eat your babies no matter how well fed they are! It is simply the nature of their being. They also have babies to feed right now, so they are definitely in the market for small warm nestlings! I agree with Betty that it would be wise to put up a wooden block predator guard asap. Now that the crows know where the ready made fast food is, they could be back..... That will protect your babies while in the box at least. Knowing if the crows don't get your babies when they fledge, it is about a 50% chance something will whether it is a crow or something else- this is all part of nature - but best not to invite trouble. Keep us posted. :-) H Date: Sun, 17 Jun 2001 23:52:12 EDT Hello Everyone, I used to be concerned about the crows in my yard until one day I saw and heard them loudly shepherding the neighbors' cat out of my yard! :-) They did hang around the back yard near the nest box around the time the bluebirds were fledging and it did make me nervous, but they seemed to be all right. The crows never actually landed on the box as far as I could tell. Periodically I would casually walk outside and start clapping and escorting them away from the box as Betty said. As of 2 weeks out of the nest, I confirmed at least 4 of 5 of the fledglings. The blues have since moved to the front yard for their 2nd nesting, maybe because of the crows. Many years ago I noticed Blue Jays paying way to much attention to the nest box and the bluebird parents were frantic. I later learned the hatchlings had all died due to hypothermia/starvation due to rainy, cold weather. Maybe the blue jays could smell the death of the babies? That year I learned from NABS about supplemental feeding of mealworms at times like this. The next year the same pair raised 3 broods of babies! I think I got carried away with the mealworms and since have learned to be way more subtle about the amount I feed. BTW, chickadees, titmice, downy woodpeckers, catbirds, Carolina Wrens and bluebirds are feeding mealworms to their fledglings - it's first come first served or I'll go broke! Laura, Marlborough, CT Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2001 11:34:50 -0500 Snip Elizabeth Nichols" Elizabeth & All: You aroused my curiosity on the crow protection status. I called the Fish and Wildlife Service and they assured me that crows are NOT on the protected species list. Two of the most enjoyable and intelligent pets I ever had were crows. I also know that they will make a meal out of most anything that comes down the pike. Best regards, Bruce Johnson ~ Life Mbr. NABS Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2001 12:02:25 -0500 Crows are protected by federal law. Each state and city may have additional
laws that also protect the birds. So, if you harm a crow (or take it's nest, Check the following web site for details A Guide to the Laws and Treaties of the United States for Protecting Migratory Birds http://migratorybirds.fws.gov/intrnltr/treatlaw.html#mbta the following site lists the birds that are protected. http://migratorybirds.fws.gov/intrnltr/mbta/mbtandx.html#a Alicia Craig Be a Citizen Scientist, visit http://birds.cornell.edu/citsci/ Watch BirdWatch on PBS, visit http://www.pbs.org/birdwatch -----Original Message----- ... Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2001 12:14:53 -0500 Crows are not "protected" in Iowa. We actually have a hunting season for them with unlimited bag limits. I think they may fall under the Migratory Treaty outside of the hunting season (Oct-April), though. I'm not sure. Jay Gilliam -----Original Message----- ... Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2001 13:51:53 -0400 NY State has Migratory Bird Hunting Seasons. "Migratory game bird seasons are set based on five migratory game bird hunting zones that have been approved by the U.S. Fish Wildlife" Crow Season is Sept. 1 - March 31, (Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays Only) - No Limit. http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/seasons/crow0.htm kimmarie :) ... Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2001 10:53:43 -0700 Dear Friends, I could say allot about crows in our vineyards and in general. Some good and some bad. I'll just let the following speak for me. Here is a site page on NON GAME ANIMALS from the California Department of Fish & Game. http://www.dfg.ca.gov/title/d2_c6.html Happy Bluebird Trails To You, Bruce Johnson wrote: Snip ... Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2001 15:32:55 -0500 Let me add one item. There are hunting seasons on birds like doves (and sometimes crows) and game birds. These seasons and the allowed species of bird vary from state to state. Each state should have when each season is and what the bag limits are for each type of bird. Alicia Craig Be a Citizen Scientist, visit http://birds.cornell.edu/citsci/ Watch BirdWatch on PBS, visit http://www.pbs.org/birdwatch -----Original Message----- ... Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2001 18:58:05 EDT Since crows have been the recent topic, I couldn't resist inserting a little nugget of information on crows. Someone wrote that crows are very intelligent, and I believe this may be true. I really enjoyed a recent PBS series on BIRDS narrated and directed by the British naturalist David Attenborough ( this is a GREAT series for bird lovers!) . In it he states that the crow may be the most intelligent bird. The crow,( not in this country but perhaps in some Pacific islands) , actually uses a stick as a tool to get insects to eat. I kid you not. It sounds unimportant, but when you see the filming and see the crow using the tool, it really is wonderful. No small feat for a bird. That's all! Katrina From: "ThomKat" thomkat7336"at"earthlink.net I'm brand new to bbing and this list. I put two boxes out for the first time and learned two valuable lessons. Too bad the instructions that come with store bought boxes are so poor. First brood of eggs was lost to a snake or coon. I fixed that problem by moving the box to a conduit pole with baffle. Not sure what happened to the second box because all but one nestling died. I'm afraid the lack of drain hole (now I know) led to a bad infestation of blow fly. So, I am fixing that problem as well. To my horror, after weeks of getting up at 0600 and attentively watching the one remaining baby, I had to helplessly watch a giant crow swoop down a carry him off yesterday. I felt like me guts were ripped out as I chased the crow and watched him fly away. This happened yesterday and the parents were still hanging around, looking in the nest etc. The male was feeding the female, I guess in some form of emotional support. After shedding a few tears for the little dude, I headed off to the hardware store to buy some more supplies. Of all the threats, what do I do about the crows? I seem to have a lot and I wonder if putting out birdseed in my feeders is making matters worse. I also wonder if humanely killing them is the answer. Seems like they have no natural predator and the bbirds are helpless against the giants. I have a crow nest also in my yard and I think the crows are actually nesting so they can be close to my bbirds. Please give me some help. I'm never been able to kill animals, but I'm about ready to do anything at this point. The crows just hang around waiting for them to leave the nest. Someone told me they got rid of crows by killing one and then hanging it from a tree. They claim this made the others crows leave. Do I kill them and if so, how? I am in northern VA. Thanks, Thom H. -----Original Message----- ... From: "Bruce Burdett" blueburd"at"srnet.com Thornkat, et al, Date: Mon, 03 Jun 2002 15:49:39 -0500 At 04:20 PM 6/2/02 -0700, ThomKat wrote: ... Crows are a protected species, and part of the ecosystem bluebirds evolved with. Since you had only one fledgling, it is particularly heartbreaking for you, I know, but it is part of nature. Some babies are not smart enough to stay in the safety of the trees, or to fly down for a bug and fly right back up to safety, and these are most likely the ones that get picked off first Kate Oschwald Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 13:08:11 -0400 Yesterday, Thom in northern Virginia asked what could be done about crows, which prompted a reply from Kate Oschwald in Texas that crows are protected. But whether crows are protected varies from state to state. To find out their status in your state, do a Google search. For example, I tried something like "crows protected Maryland" and learned that crows, among a number of other birds, are not protected in Maryland if they are interfering with wildlife. In Virginia, by contrast, crows may be hunted only from August 16 through March 16. I suspect, but have not confirmed, that crows are not a protected species in the corn-producing mid-West. Diane Seward Subject: RE: Crows, protected or not Crows ARE federally protected by the migratory bird treaty act. Yes, crows are protected in every state by federal law...even the Midwest. So, no unless you have permission or the laws of the state exempt from the federal protection you cannot 'get rid' of a crow. ALL native birds (and some addtional)are federally protected except pigeons, European Starlings and English House Sparrows. State laws do vary for specific bird species and specific situations. Hunting laws vary from state to state and city laws vary. Bag limits vary and the length of the hunting season varies. In some states it is legal to hunt a bird during a specific time, but not in a city within that state. In most cases if a bird is causing 'trouble' you have to get a federal permit to remove or kill the bird, -unless it is hunting season and the bird is in an area which allows hunting. In addition you may need state and city permits to deal with problem birds. Just a reminder- The federal protection is pretty specific as it deals with the collection of nests, eggs, etc. It is not legal for anyone to posses a nest, feather, eggs, etc. of a protected species unless you have the proper permits. No permit- no have bird items. Find more information about the Treaty visit this site:
http://migratorybirds.fws.gov/intrnltr/treatlaw.html Alicia Craig Visit a list of the wonderful organizations we support http://www.wbu.com/alliances/ Be a Citizen Scientist, visit
http://birds.cornell.edu/citsci/ -----Original Message----- ... Date: Thu, 6 Jun 2002 15:54:20 -0400 This is a follow-up on posts earlier this week about the status of crows, protected or not, under federal and state law. While crows are listed among the numerous migratory birds protected under federal law, federal regulations on hunting and controlling certain "depredating" migratory birds create a limited exception to the protected status of crows, grackles, cowbirds, certain blackbirds, and magpies. See below. The pertinent federal regulations may be found at 50 Code of Federal Regulations ("CFR") Part 20 (migratory bird hunting) and Part 21 (migratory bird permits"). They are issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is under the Department of the Interior. The Part 21 regs. can be accessed at http://permits.fws.gov/mbpermits/regulations/part21.pdf (Adobe Acrobat required), for example. The 50 CFR fish and wildlife regs. are vast (50 CFR secs. 1-600+). Section 10.13 contains alphabetical and taxonomic listings of migratory birds which are protected by international conventions and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (codified at 16 U.S.C. 703-712). Section 17.11 lists endangered wildlife species around the world. First, excerpts (summarized) from the hunting regs (50 CFR 20): Sec. 20.2(d): Individual states may enact laws for the protection of migratory birds so long as they are not inconsistent with the federal regs. and conventions between the U.S. and foreign countries, or with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Sec. 20.133: Crows may be hunted only in accordance with regs. prescribed by the individual states. States may authorize a hunting season for crows, subject to the following limitations: (a) no hunting from aircraft, (b) the hunting season cannot exceed 124 days a year, (c) hunting is not permitted during the peak crow nesting season in a state, and (d) crows may only be hunted with firearms, bow and arrow, and falconry. (Sec. 20.133(b)(1)-(4).) Second, relevant permit regs (50 CFR 21; see also 50 CFR 13 (general permit procedures): Sec. 21.1: This Part (21) establishes, among other things, "depredation orders," which provide limited exceptions to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Sec. 21.11: No person can take, possess, purchase, or sell any migratory bird, its nests or eggs except as allowed under a valid permit or as allowed in this part and in Part 20. Subpart D: Control of Depredating Birds Sec. 21.41: Generally, permits for "depredation control" of migratory birds are required, but no permit is required to scare or herd depradating migratory birds, except for endangered or threatened species, or bald or golden eagles. (Webster's defines "depredate" as "to lay waste, prey upon, plunder.") Sec. 21.43: No federal permit is required to control yellow-headed, red-winged, rusty, and Brewer's blackbirds, cowbirds, all grackles, crows, and magpies when found committing or about to commit depredation upon ornamental or shade trees, agricultural crops, livestock, or wildlife, or when concentrated in such numbers as to constitute a health hazard, provided that (a) birds killed under this section and their plumage cannot be sold, (b) a person engaging in "depredation control" must allow access by federal or state game wardens to the premises involved, (c) there is no state law or regulation prohibiting the activity, and (d) the person engaging in depredation control possesses any permit required by the state concerned. Bottom line: Before taking any action against any of the birds listed in 50 CFR 21.43 in the circumstances specified, check individual state laws and regs. for restrictions/prohibitions on controlling them and for any permits required. Diane Seward From: "Karen Louise Lippy" brdbrain"at"superpa.net Alicia and Elizabeth, He said that a few years ago, the state of PA applied for a permit to kill
birds that tried to eat trout in the ponds where they were being raised for
release for fishermen. The Federal Government refused the permit. Instead, the
state put wire fencing over the ponds. He said that, in his opinion, no agency
would ever issue permits to kill crows out of season because they might eat
another bird. That is their nature and the role they play in keeping things in
balance. So I guess this is how things are in our state. Not sure about others,
but I suspect their laws are similar. Karen from South Central ... From: "Kathy Clark" lilbirdie2u"at"hotmail.com Kathy Clark, New Cumberland, PA I for one just like crows. They are smart and problem solve. When I was a young girl my cousin had a pet crow who talked. Am I showing my age? I know somebody here on the list too not say used to have a pet crow and we exchanged stories once. They are fascinating. There is even a Crow Society would you believe? One good book about Crows is called "Bird Brains" Even though I know the
nature of these crows.. I still smile when I see the flock fly to the PA State
Capitol Building. They roost along the back streets on their way there. They
are a nuisance sometimes but sometimes if you will excuse my sarcasm they know
where the bull lies!!! Heard those folks needed umbrellas to eat lunch outside
the capitol at one point :) From: "Karen Louise Lippy" brdbrain"at"superpa.net ... From: DottyRogers"at"netscape.net Hi again; One of the ways we handle crows: when a gang is loitering in the white pines (looking at their watches waiting for EABL fledge), we casually wander up to that particular tree carrying huge fallen sticks/limbs. We swing these like baseball bats against the trunk full-force, breaking them in the process. The snap & blow sound like a gunshot; the crows bounce into the air and take off in panic. We do this a good couple of times several days before fledge to the point where every time we arrive, the crows exit in haste. Works like a charm! We're pretty sure we've spooked 'em away from particular boxes and saved youngsters as a result. (Seen the fledges in heavy crow territories.) It's fun, too. Dot From: "Stan, Apple Valley/St. Paul, MN [44.44N, -93.10W]"
stan1bb"at"frontiernet.net Hello EveryBIRDie! If I may "ad lib" to Dottie's suggestion of "spooking" crows and/or any other species you want to re-locate--particulary starlings, grackles, etc. about "roosting" time, two tin cans banged together are also effective. I know...I've tried it. Hold the open end and bang the closed bottoms together; makes quite a bang...enough to scare the birds to move along. Happy birding! Stan From: David Middleton Edelen II [mailto:k98"at"bellsouth.net] Hello all, From: Chuck Jensen [mailto:cjensen"at"dts9000.com] The story you related is consistent with the Fish Crow, common to coastal areas. The common crow isn't up for sainthood, but I think there are far fewer tales of those fellows out on snatch-n-grab forays as there are Fish Crows--though others may have indicting tales about the common crow as well. From: Autumn L. Kruer [mailto:autumnk"at"iglou.com] Fish Crows will also hang around inland on ponds and rivers. I’ve occasionally had them here in north central Kentucky hanging about my ponds. Last year one terrorized a squealing Killdeer until it robbed the entire nest of eggs. I don’t have a lot of problems with them, just isolated incidents, but they seem to leave my nestboxes alone and this year are leaving the killdeer alone (I have 3 killdeer nests right now with stakes around them so no one will step on them or drive over them). American Crows are also known to wait around for robin nestlings to make their first flight – I’ve heard this story many times, and will pick them off as soon as they make their first leap from the nest. Again, I’ve had no major problems with them, but in some areas I know people that have. They are very persistent once they’ve found a food source. Autumn From: Kenny Kleinpeter [mailto:kpkmajk"at"cox.net] Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 7:26 AM Subject: RE: a Crow story Chuck's right; it's the fish crow that raids the martin boxes. I have witnessed it also and solved the problem years ago by adapting the traditional 12-compartment martin nestboxes to 6-double compartment boxes by drilling 3" holes into side walls and closing off six of the holes for compartments that now are out of harm's reach. The martins go in through the entrance compartment, through the hole and into the safe, nesting chamber. Some houses, I've even triple-compartmentalized! While crows get a bad rap because they do their dastardly deeds in the light of day, it's much more horrifying to watch a barred or great-horned owl wipe out a colony under cover of darkness. If you ever see a martin house with doors missing, you can bet an owl has raided it. From: Keith & Sandy Kridler [mailto:txbluebirder"at"sbcglobal.net] Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 9:12 AM Subject: Fw: a Crow story Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas When you place nestboxes or feeders for some species of birds and then predators use these same nestboxes or bird feeders for their feeding stations is it the fault of the predators or are we just seeing the part of nature we don't want to see? Crows eating 10 or 15 Purple Martin's in 15 minutes only means that without the martins they would have eaten 10 or 15 OTHER birds or possibly would have cleaned up a road kill or they would have allowed their babies to starve or worse yet the adult crows would have watched their young kill and eat each other! KK From: John Schuster [mailto:wildwingco"at"earthlink.net] Dear Chuck, David and friends, Sorry to disappoint you Chuck, but not 2 days ago I saw similar behavior from a Common Crow and it's pals cleaning out a nest full of baby birds (specie unknown) high up in a tree. They flew back a forth into a grove of eucalyptus trees until they had cleaned out the nest. About a month ago our local Common Crows cleaned our a Purple Finch nest in one of our cypress trees too. Interesting that a flock of Crows is not called a flock at all, but a Murder of Crows. ... John Schuster From: Paula [mailto:PaulaZ"at"columbus.rr.com] Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 9:41 AM Subject: RE: a Crow story I will pipe in here and relay my favorite experience with a common crow. The PUMA story is a sad one, and one of the reasons many landlords are converting old trio houses from 12-compartment to 6-compartment houses (I did this with two this spring). With the rebound of raptors in most areas, they are also in danger of predation from owls and hawks. Owl guards and/or safer compartment layouts are good ideas for PUMA housing today. Bottom line is that some birds eat other birds. That is part of their diet. The best way to stop this is to deny them access. Paula Z From: Lawrence Herbert [mailto:lherbert"at"4state.com] Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 9:50 PM Subject: AMCR American Crow is the correct name... From: John Schuster [mailto:wildwingco"at"earthlink.net] Dear Friends, Some have suggested to me that we place the Crow on our "Hit List" and all I can say to that is...why not? Once upon a time the Common Crow had been on the "Hit List" at Fish and Game, and they use to pay a bounty of .25 cents for each Crow that you brought into a Fish and Game field office. I know, because when I was a kid I use to call Crows into shotgun range (a challenge to say the least, and I still have the same Crow call that I purchased new back in 1968, plus I'm still good at calling them) and picked up bounties for each Crow that I took into the Fish and Game field office, which at that age made me feel like Steve McQueen, on TVs Wanted Dead or Alive (oops I'm dating myself.) Back then a good days take could add up to a movie ticket or maybe even a small hamburger, milkshake and fries. However, due to budget cuts at Fish and Game those days are long gone. So if you want to put the Crow on your "Hit List", then do so in the knowledge that you'll be helping your local birds and farmers out without the jingle of bounty coins in your pocket. ...John Schuster From: Lynn Emerich [mailto:lemerich"at"epix.net] Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 4:57 PM Subject: Re: O/T "Hit List" For Crows On the other hand, crows will also keep owls and hawks out of you yard and away from you boxes. Besides sounding the alarm, they will attack owls and hawks. Lynn near Bernville, PA. From: RBALTRUNAS"at"cs.com [mailto:RBALTRUNAS"at"cs.com] Can't imagine Owls bothering EABL etc. They feed at night on rodents and snakes. Hawks are a part of nature and prune the herd of Pigeons, doves and HOSP. When they hit some of our beloved types, its a legitimate part of the natural process. Crows will eat eggs and nestlings if they can get their heads in. Fish Crows take a terrible toll on beach nesting birds that are plunging in numbers.. When Crows chase out Owls and Hawks then rodents and maybe snakes will overpopulate and cause imbalances and other problems. Ron From: Evelyn Cooper [mailto:emcooper"at"bayou.com] Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 10:01 PM Subject: RE: O/T "Hit List" For Crows Below is what I found from the Louisiana Wildlife And Fisheries Department. Evelyn "BLACKBIRDS AND CROWS From: John Schuster [mailto:wildwingco"at"earthlink.net] Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 9:26 AM Subject: O/T "Hit List" For Crows...your local birds and farmers will thank you Dear Lynn and friends, Yes, Crows are native, but because of their devilment, their tendency to damage both crops and property, they are not protected by law, are classified as vermin and you can take them by any method (for details check your local Fish and Game regulations.) The powers that be may in time change the Crows classification on paper to make Crows more PC, but no matter what you think or what you feel, Crows are and will always be...vermin. Bag limits may vary from state to state, but I think there are still no limits on how many Crows you can take. Do check your local Fish and Game regulations for details on the taking of Crows, European Starlings and other vermin. Personally, I'd rather have the raptors than the Crows, but the biggest problem with Crows is that nobody does anything about them anymore. I do what I can when I can, so if you have the where with all to do something then do something. Believe me, your local birds and farmers will thank you. ...John Schuster From: Evelyn Cooper [mailto:emcooper"at"bayou.com] Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 12:19 PM Subject: RE: O/T "Hit List" For Crows John, if I am not mistaken, it said they could be killed year round in certain circumstances. From: John Schuster [mailto:wildwingco"at"earthlink.net] Dear Evelyn and friends, No I understood the year round hunting, but look at the wording as most hunting regulations are all the same... "year round during legal shooting hours if they are "depredating or about to depredate upon." The key words here are depredating or about to depredate upon." This is legal jargon and can be interpreted many ways by a Game Warden. Who is to say that an American Crow (aka Common Crow or for us simple folks a Crow) is "depredating" or "about to depredate upon." If you see a Crow landing on a nest eating a nest full of baby birds, or eating grain then that would be "depredating or about to depredate upon", but just crossing a city street, you could get into trouble picking a Crow off. Not that anyone would do anything, but I've dealt with Fish and Game for decades, so just be on guard when you pull that trigger. ...John Schuster From: Paul Kilduff [mailto:pkilduff"at"usconnex.net] Sent: Friday, June 10, 2005 5:07 PM Subject: RE: The Crow Thread John said: I'm sorry for those that decided to not to read the Crow posts, as they believed them counterproductive, but the Common Crow is so interconnected with all aspects in nature and mans endeavors, that the Common Crow simple can't be ignored. Paul says: If you didn't get my logic before, let me please repeat my main point: anything that doesn't have to do, at least indirectly, with native secondary cavity nesters and how to help them, is irrelevant on this list. It's *counterproductive* in that a large volume of Messages turns people off -- people that we, who care about bluebirds and other native secondary cavity nesters, want to be a part of this list so they can be better stewards of bluebirds and other native secondary cavity nesters. A large volume of Messages about bluebirds is unfortunate but necessary to the cause. A large volume of Messages about crows and woodpeckers is self-indulgent. John said: Press the delete button if you must (I hear them being pressed right now), but you're doing yourself a disservice by not reading the posts about the Common Crow that have been provided to you freely by a fabulous group of knowledgeable people that are so willing to provide you with a life time of collective knowledge. Paul says: You know what? Baloney Sandwich. Sorry! John said: Though classified as an O/T bird, the Common Crow plays a big if not villainous roll in nature, so I ask you is it really an O/T topic. Paul (who actually likes crows!) says: if you want to discuss crows, you should open a Yahoogroup where people can discuss native American birds, or the wonders of nature, or whatever. It should be advertised on this list - repeatedly. Please. Look, I didn't start this discussion. People are unsubscribing due to the volume of mail, much of it having little to do with why they subscribed in the first place. I've been there myself. Evelyn said: > Paul, I have to respectfully disagree with you about the crow Paul says: If we're talking about crows as predators of bluebirds, of course it's relevant to this list. Even if you're not, O/T discussions are part of life. But talking O/T issues to death belongs somewhere else, not clogging up the mailboxes of people *whom we want to guide and inspire*, who will then unsubscribe, thus doing a disservice to the bluebird recovery movement. Sorry to ruffle your *ahem* feathers! :o) From: Lynn Emerich [mailto:lemerich"at"epix.net] Sent: Friday, June 10, 2005 5:24 PM Subject: Re: The Crow Thread Since part of this subject was about protected or unprotected birds, there was an article in todays Reading Pa newspaper about state turning over all hunting regs to the game comission. It was mentions the in certain areas of the state (PA), it is legal to shoot crows during part of the year, not just regular hinting seasons. Check your local game comission for details in your area. Lynn near Bernville PA From: Megan Whitman [mailto:mlw57"at"cornell.edu] Sent: Friday, June 10, 2005 1:08 PM Subject: Shooting crows Greetings, Bluebird-L subscribers, It seems as though the discussion about shooting crows has died down. At the risk of starting folks back up again, we thought we would weigh in. We assume that anyone interested in shooting crows would contact their local agencies to educate themselves as regulations vary quite a bit among states (we thank those of you that pointed this out!). We would like to clarify some misinformation. For example, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act does indeed protect crows <http://migratorybirds.fws.gov/intrnltr/mbta/mbtandx.html>, and has for over 30 years. This information is readily available online. Shooting them (in *some* states; during *particular* seasons; sometimes with a required permit; sometimes according to specific guidelines) can indeed be done legally. Dr. Kevin McGowan has been studying crows for over 15 years, and works here at the Lab of Ornithology. He has a super web site that I assumed someone might stumble across and post to the list. I've included a page from his web site that offers a really good synopsis of the legalities of shooting Again, we urge those of you interested in shooting crows to inform yourselves as best you can before doing so. We are all entitled to our opinions, not our own facts. Cheers, Megan Whitman From: Linda Hunt [mailto:lindaehunt"at"earthlink.net] Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 8:27 AM Subject: Crows Eastern NC. We have a problem with crows. Last weekend I saw it take 3 baby blues that had fledged the day before. Called the game warden, and he said hunting season hasn't started yet - not til June. Recommended getting an owl, which I did. Thinking about it overnight, though, if a crow is afraid of an owl aren't the smaller birds that I WANT to come here going to be afraid of it too? Got a nest of baby chickadees that should fledge within the next day or two and don't want to lose them to this guy! Does anyone have any recommendations or words of wisdom? I'm rounding up crow recipes, but hunting season doesn't start til June. Linda From: Lynn Emerich [mailto:lemerich"at"epix.net] Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 9:23 AM Subject: Re: Crows Linda, Although I have never personally witnessed it, crows don't like Lynn From: John Schuster [mailto:wildwingco"at"earthlink.net] Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 9:49 AM Subject: Re: Crows Dear Linda, Lynn and friends, More than likely the Game Warden was referring to a decoy Great Horn Owl that people use to drive birds away from an area (like Pigeons, Crows and other birds), but these same Great Horn Owl decoys can attract Crows to an area too as hunters use this technic to bring Crows into shotgun range as the Crows attack the decoy. Predatory decoys can drive all birds out so that's one big problem with using decoys. However, my question is are you feeding birds seeds or food? If so, then this is my concern, as Crows are opportunistic feeders and will always take advantage of an easy meal. I know there are hunting seasons for Crows in some parts of the USA, but I'd ask if your local Game Warden if there are deprecating laws pertaining to Crows in the hunting regulations in your state. In California we have a season for Crows too, but we also have deprecating laws so if a Crows is "deprecating your property" you have every legal right to take lethal measures to deal with them. Use the Fish and Game laws to work for you or you can just wait until June to deal a lethal blow. Cheers and as always... Happy Bluebird Trails To You, John Schuster... From: lviolett [mailto:lviolett"at"earthlink.net] Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 2:26 PM Subject: Re: Crows From what I've seen, owl decoys are ineffective. The next door neighbors I, too, have had crows take most of a newly-fledged clutch when I was a new Bluebirder using small inherited boxes with 4x4 floors. Possibly other What size box are you using and how many days old were the chicks at the time of fledge? Did the size of the box allow them sufficient space to exercise their wings prior to the fledge? Here is a page showing nestbox floor sizes compared to Bluebird wing span. Linda Violett From: Torrey [mailto:torrey_canyon"at"yahoo.com] Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 11:38 PM Subject: Re: Crows - ---Cristy wrote: <snip> House Sparrow fledglings *are* eaten by larger birds. Young birds of *any* species are easy pickings. The first month or 2 (& the whole first year, really) are the toughest part of a bird's life -- If it survives that, chances are very good that it'll survive 3 or 4 years. (We have records of 10-year-old Gray (It's not any easier for predators. A lot of young hawks starve that first winter. Crows may have an easier time of it, since they flock up for the winter & naive crows can follow experienced ones to food sources. Plus, there's always plenty of road kill.) Torrey Wenger From: Linda Hunt [mailto:lindaehunt"at"earthlink.net] Sent: Saturday, April 29, 2006 3:47 AM Subject: Re: Crows I don't know if you've heard of Jack Finch or his foundation, Homes for Bluebirds, but in these parts Jack is considered the bluebird king. National Geographic did a documentary on him and his efforts to bring back the bluebirds. I bought my boxes from him. These babies were taken from the thick woods about 50 yards from the nest box. We are constantly fine tuning our boxes, placement, etc. and this year are adding hardware cloth to the insides of the doors to give the babies something better than the ridges we've used previously to climb out on. Re the future of the crow, NC has specific rules regarding killing them, and killing them to protect other wild birds is not allowed during the off season. But June is just around the corner, and there is no bag limit. Re what I'm feeding, I only feed thistle seed and meal worms this time of year because I don't want to attract undesirables. We do feed black oil sunflower seed during the fall and winter. This crow was bringing rib bones, chicken bones, dog biscuits, dog food, etc to our birdbaths and would leave these bones in the birdbaths. Since scaring him off is NOT forbidden under our wildlife regs, I have been using whatever scare tactics I could, such as firing off a round with my slingshot (no chance of killing him that way). Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions, and none will be ignored. We're very dedicated to these little guys as well as the Carolina Chickadees. Linda From: lviolett [mailto:lviolett"at"earthlink.net] Sent: Saturday, April 29, 2006 4:41 PM Subject: Re: Crows When Linda Hunt first described her crow problem, her initial statement was: When I asked Linda Hunt about the box size as a possible source of why she had Bluebird fledglings too weak to escape from "it" and the age of the chicks at fledge, she didn't give box sizes, she gave a box name: Doesn't matter if the box was built/designed by Bugs Bunny or Jack Finch, the box itself has to be studied as a cause and effect of trail results. Fortunately, Bet Zimmerman has done a wonderful job in condensing all the confusing pronoun named boxes into a useful comparison chart at: The NABS/Jack Finch box is pictured on page 99 of the Bluebird Monitor's In fact, that size box is very similar to the NABS-style boxes I inherited on my first trail. But that style proved to be inadequate on my trail amongst crows, hawks, jays, starlings and House Sparrows. For those of you who have a copy of the Bluebird Monitor's Guide, turn to page 42 and review the photos of nestlings peeking out the hole during the Now spend some time looking at the pre-fledge photos from a predator's point of view. A trampled nest prior to fledge takes up about 2" of the standard 6.5" hole-to-floor drop which leaves only about 4" between most nests and the box opening. Fully grown nestlings can scrunch down and flatten themselves to about an inch, which leaves only 3" between the top of the chicks and the hole opening. Nestlings could be taken or threatened by Turn to page 66 and imagine nestling activity in that larger deeper boxes prior to fledge. The pictured box provides 8.5" from the bottom of the hole to the floor. Assuming a 2" average nest depth, nestlings have to hop/fly 6.5" to the holes and cling to the inside with their claws. Each time they hop/fly to peek out the holes, their leg and wing muscles are becoming stronger. Western Bluebirds on my trail using these boxes stay in the box about 21 days and sometimes longer. Crows are not a problem while the chicks are in these large/deep boxes. Crows are not a problem when Bluebirds fledge. Since Linda Hunt does not think the box size is connected with weak fledglings letting themselves being picked off by crows (or by one "it" Kathy Clark is using a mix of boxes on her trail. Perhaps she can provide background as to whether she is seeing any difference in the number of days chicks spend in large/deep boxes compared to standard boxes before fledging. Linda Hunt, if you decide to stick with the "Jack Finch" box, at least add a hardwood face guard. Hardwood guards will prevent woodpeckers from enlarging the hole (which is the purpose of the thin metal "Jack Finch" Linda Violett From: Sue Bulger [mailto:suebulger"at"gmail.com] Susan Bulger From: Keith Kridler Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas Think about this event and realize these are one day old birds out of the nest. For 16>19 days they have been pampered and all they have to do is open their mouths and beg for food and it appears. Several times a week, their nestbox is opened and bright light floods the nestbox blinding them just as everyone at NABS was blinded during our Hot Dog lunch on the parking garage roof. MANY bluebird monitors will reach in and pick up baby birds and they learn when something big approaches that all they have to do is hunker down and "freeze". They might or might not be picked up and "talked" to but if they just wait and don't move the big object will tire of looking at them and quit poking them to see if they have blow fly maggots on them or will replace their wet nest and return them back to the nestbox and leave them alone for a few more hours and do this all over again in a day or two. The big day comes and they leave the box and everything is wonderful. Mom and Dad continue to feed and scold them. They ignore the parents and revel in flying from this limb to that and really have to concentrate on making a safe landing just as young human children do on a bicycle without training wheels. They are having a great time when they realize they are hungry and look up just in time to beg food from a large dark object that has landed right next to them. This is now a baby bluebird that will NEVER learn that life is filled with creatures that want to eat them. Fear of predators is a learned experience. Baby coyote's will leave their den and come out and play with humans. Kenny Kleinpeter told of "stupid" Purple Martins in his colony that would sleep on the porches and become Great Horned Owl food. The ones who witness and survive the attack might live to avoid this bad habit. Maybe Linda Hunt could tell a little more about what she has seen because I have watched for more than 40 years and NEVER seen a crow take a bluebird. We do need to consider when we train bluebirds to come to eat meal worms that not EVERYONE they encounter will be kind to them. In the past I used to ask young children if any of them in the group had killed bluebirds. VERY often several in a large group admitted that they had shot some. One teacher came unglued at Johnny and almost screamed at him, "WHY would you shoot Mr. When you monitor a nestbox are you training the adults and young that large strange objects are safe and not to be feared? How would a baby bird know the difference between a kind human reaching into the nestbox or the much smaller arm and hand of a raccoon? This is just something to think about today that is never discussed. KK From: Bet Zimmerman [mailto:ezdz"at"charter.net] Has anybody else noticed a large local crow population this year? Maybe I am just seeing a lot around my place because they eat our duck chow. I noticed the nesting Tree Swallows freaking out when the crows came near the boxes (feeding on the ground). Looks like trends on the Breeding Bird Survey (survey wide) are positive if I’m reading them correctly: http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/cgi-bin/atlasa99.pl?04880&1&05 I am wondering if the crows got hit by West Nile and are now making a comeback? Also wondering if more nestings are getting preyed on…. When I was out in Washington State for work, the manager of a restaurant told us she saw crows occasionally snatching nestlings from House Sparrow nests in vines on their wall (the HOSP were nesting right over the outdoor restaurant tables - yum.) Bet from CT [Note from webmaster: responses varied, with some people seeing more, some less.] From: Tree Greenwood [mailto:doctree"at"crosslink.net] Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 1:48 AM Subject: Re: OT: increase in crows? On Tue 25 Jul 2006 at 17:45, "Robert Barron" Hi Rob and all, In the summer of 2001, Falls Church and the area (Arlington, Fairfax, Alexandria) saw huge kills of Jays and Crows. In urban areas, dead birds are more likely to be found and reported. It's also easier to see changes in populations. Once WNV was confirmed by testing the first few dead birds that were found, animal control and the health departments quit testing. It just isn't economically reasonable to test every dead bird to find out what killed it. Citizens were advised to double-bag the carcasses and put them in the trash. Since WNV was confirmed in the area, public health and animal control switched their efforts and funds to mosquito control programs. We kept a rough count of the number of calls to animal control that reported dead birds. I took calls about not only Crows and Jays but a couple of urban Coopers Hawks and a few Owls. We also got calls about other dead birds that weren't species known to be affected by WNV. >From 2002 through 2004, we continued to see kills >From personal observations and records here in I participated in a long thread on the 'Project Feeder Watch' list ( PFW-L"at"cornell.edu ) about the absence of Blue Jays. The reports seem to be very 'spotty,' for lack of a better term. Many reported normal numbers; many others noted much lower than usual numbers or a complete absence of Blue Jays. The state-wide average, though, doesn't seem to be down significantly. Perhaps there's another explanation than WNV for the local changes I observed. A pair of Blue Jays nested somewhere near us this season and we're seeing juveniles at the feeders and water stations now. They're not all gone. > ... I wonder if the survivors had a genetic difference that gave them If not immunity, a resistance so that they can recover if infected seems to be the Occam's Razor explanation for the return of Falls Church Crows. Interesting, even it it is off topic. Take care. R J 'Tree' Greenwood |
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