Need to vent lol

[Marks]

I may be making this up but don't crows live to be 20 yrs old?

I googled it.

per Wikipedia
Crows reach sexual maturity around the age of 3 years for females and 5 years for males. Some crows may live to the age of 20, and the oldest known American crow in the wild was almost 30 years old.[23] The oldest captive crow documented died at age 59.[24]

[bowtarist]

Crows are one of my favorite birds. Had one for awhile back in the early 90's I fed hand fed after finding it poisoned. It pulled through and flew off, but stayed around crying all night, but would not come back to me. A neighbor at the time, I lived in town, called the cops because they thought there was a baby crying in the alley. When the cops showed up I had to explain why the crow was crying like a baby in our back yard.

There is a killer movie/documentary called "A Murder of Crows", I forget who by now, but our library has it in Bloomington. It's totally worth watching. Amazing birds really.

Have a gooder, dp 

[Pat B]

 A  group of crows is called a "murder of crows".

[bowtarist]

A  group of crows is called a "murder of crows".

Yea Pat.  Hence the name of the movie.  dp

[Zuma]

I guess crows and Ravens must be just like Mutt and Jeffs.
The Raven sits on top of most Totem Poles in Alaska.
Most revered of the creatures.
I have interacted with my friends pet crows, squirrles, possoms, coons,
deer and fox. They let you know there is not much difference in intellect
between you and them. I have a great respect for all wildlife.
Yeah,  Heckel and Jeckel too.
Zuma

[Zuma]

Problem solved.
Well maybe. He is garding the brocolli not the corn and beans?
Zuma

[DLH]

Crows are one of my favorite birds. Had one for awhile back in the early 90's I fed hand fed after finding it poisoned. It pulled through and flew off, but stayed around crying all night, but would not come back to me. A neighbor at the time, I lived in town, called the cops because they thought there was a baby crying in the alley. When the cops showed up I had to explain why the crow was crying like a baby in our back yard.

There is a killer movie/documentary called "A Murder of Crows", I forget who by now, but our library has it in Bloomington. It's totally worth watching. Amazing birds really.

Have a gooder, dp

I agree crows and ravens are really smart birds. We learned in my animal behavior class that someone had taught ravens (I think not 100 percent) to use a vending machine. The machine initially gave them a peanut then they had to flip a switch to get a peanut then bring a coin to to get a peanut I think this was in the city were lose change could be readily had. I don't how accurate this is but I know that stuck with me from class. Also somewhere they will drop hard shelled nuts in the street and wait for cars to crush them. They can also recognize faces too especially ones that hassle them I wish I could remember all the details better

[stickbender]

     Ravens live a really long time, and are indeed very intelligent!   The have quite the repertoires of sounds.  Some times they sound like a short burst of a machine gun, and other times, like something big choking!


                                                                               Wayne

[Zuma]

What I am venting about may have nothing to do with crows and ravens.
Although I can't rule them out.
New drama right beside the garden.
This has also never happened before.
I have three Bluebird houses on a fence very near the garden.
The Tree Swallows usually take them over.  They can come back here as early as
late February from Mexico. This year they were only a few that made it back in early April.
The Blue Birds will nest in the Swallows old nest sometimes before I clean them out between hatches.
Crap it takes a lot to vent.
Any way, after the excitement of the week end, the swallows were gone and a Blue Bird took up residence in  the center box, five eggs.
I looked for swallows all day-----none.
I looked in the boxes of the Swallows and found this, ants and all.
Some mostly formed peeps and many broken (pecked eggs)
Nothing eaten.

[Zuma]

Well, I put another snake in the garden.
Strung some string and things are lookin up for the corn and beans.
Haven't replanted the squash.
This is the guy that destroyed the swallows eggs.
He chases off the swallows that try to return. He guards all three boxes.
Zuma

[Zuma]

The nasty Blue bird actually killed the momma Tree swallow and left it in the box.
Then his mate laid egg there?
The male actually destroyed three swallow clutches.

Not sure but I think the strings saved some of my crops.
I did catch the CROWS at it but was un- armed.
That won't happen again. You are going down crows.
Zuma

[coxral]

Just my 2 pennies but none of that's gonna help if ya don't water those things! Just kid'n around!

[Marc St Louis]

Please enlighten me.  Why would a Crow do that?  They don't seem to be eating anything.  Are they just being malicious?

[Zuma]

I'm watering the garden right now after planting some more corn to guard. lol

Marc they actually eat the seed they pull out of the ground.
Some that were to tough for them were snapped off at ground level.
A buddie of mine told me he saw them take out two rows of his corn before
getting his gun. Kinda hoped keeping the ground not to soft would help
but it didn't. GRRRrrrrr
Zuma

[mullet]

I've had them and squirrels do the same when I plant beans and corn.