No according to ask.com it's an actual alternative. Spread it far and wide.
Linda On Tue, Mar 4, 2014 at 12:03 PM, J. Sullivan <[email protected]> wrote: > MUSTER ..... > > Would that be only used among us locals? > > Jae > > On Mar 4, 2014, at 11:02 AM, Linda Orkin <[email protected]> wrote: > > 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 <[email protected]> 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 <[email protected]> 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/[email protected]/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/[email protected]/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:* > 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/[email protected]/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/[email protected]/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/ --
