Sue, thanks for enjoying the list and for being so eager to learn. All of us who admire, respect and enjoy crows are trying to retire the collective noun of "murder" as it can either imply that crows are evil or that they should be murdered. Another term could be Congress of crows (which in this day and age can also be pejorative) or can also be a Muster. Which would seem appropriate especially at this time of year as they gather or when they all raucously mob a Great-horned Owl. I like Muster, the definition is apropos.
Keep watching!!! Linda Orkin Ithaca, NY On Tue, Mar 4, 2014 at 10:52 AM, Sue Rakow <sue.ra...@gmail.com> wrote: > This is very helpful information! Thank you so much for the complete > picture. I am learning so much from being on this list serve. I am very > grateful! > Sue Rakow > > > On Tue, Mar 4, 2014 at 8:26 AM, Anne Clark <anneb.cl...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> These groups are "winter roosts", and they are nothing new in crow life. >> Despite what urban residents sometimes think, crows didn't start gathering >> when we set out cities for them to use. Roosting in groups at any time of >> year may offer safety in numbers from night predators, such as Great Horned >> Owls. >> >> In winter, birds living in northern areas that usually have constant snow >> cover for months do migrate south--Canada, areas of New England. Crows >> don't necessarily have a particular area they migrate TO. They may go as >> far as an area that is usually ok for foraging, perhaps one that they are >> familiar with from previous migrations. There they form flocks that are >> made up of migrants as well as wide-foraging locals. If it gets unusually >> snowy and cold, they may move further south. (We really don't know much of >> the repeat migratory routes of individual crows. We do know that birds >> tagged in Ithaca in winter are then seen on territories in Canada, VT, New >> Hampshire in summer, and that some birds RAISED in Ithaca have been >> observed or shot in winter, in such places as Maryland, West VA, and >> Pennsylvania, as well as in Cortland, Auburn, Geneva) >> >> In the winter flocks, birds are foraging in open fields and off familiar >> areas. During foraging, flocks offer some safety in numbers to detect >> predators in day (hawks, hunters, whatever). At night the flocks "flock >> up" still more in places that offer "good roosting sites", which probably >> includes wind breaks, places from which owls can be detected at night. So >> they are probably gathering both for safety in numbers and also because >> they all agree on what makes a good site. Cities may offer fewer >> predators, but also the lights may allow them to see the predators. >> Finally roosting in flocks that include birds that have sampled food >> sources widely may allow birds to find new food sources, perhaps by >> following the most assured and directed birds leaving the roost. >> >> So--Upstate NY has its own crows and is ideally positioned for northern >> crows--so flocks become big. They like the agricultural fields >> interspersed with trees and lots of running water sources (which may be >> important in cold winters)...and we also offer lots of smaller cities, with >> large groups of lit trees in their downtowns or college campuses. These >> seem to be attractive. >> >> Mid-late March is the start of the breeding season and flocking crows >> will be returning to their breeding latitudes. Our Ithaca pairs are >> already calling on territory during daytimes. >> >> As I say, some of this story is surmised from the patterns, not pinned >> down with hard data on individuals! We know what our tagged birds do, when >> we can follow them. But we would love to have gps data coming in from our >> birds, such as the snowy owls and golden eagles give their researchers. >> Bring on the Tiny Tags! >> >> Anne >> >> On Mar 4, 2014, at 7:19 AM, Sue Rakow wrote: >> >> I observed the murder of crows on Sunday evening. It was stunning. I >> would like to know more about why they gather in such large groups. Are >> they on the move or are they local? Can anyone help me understand? >> Thanks. >> Sue Rakow >> -- >> *Cayugabirds-L List Info:* >> Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> >> Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> >> Subscribe, Configuration and >> Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> >> *Archives:* >> The Mail >> Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> >> Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> >> BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> >> *Please submit your observations to eBird >> <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>!* >> -- >> >> >> > -- > *Cayugabirds-L List Info:* > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> > Subscribe, Configuration and > Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > *Archives:* > The Mail > Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> > *Please submit your observations to eBird > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>!* > -- > -- Don't ask what your bird club can do for you, ask what you can do for your bird club!! <')_,/ -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
