Re: [cayugabirds-l] Crows like toad liver
We also have a pond with many (>100) breeding American toads, and we've noticed crows lurking about, though we haven't actually observed predation. One possible reason for the crows' preference for the liver is that the parotid glands and skin of the toad produce bufotoxin, which may be poisonous, or at least distasteful, to them. They can probably largely avoid the toxin by feeding only on easily extractable morsels from the viscera, especially the liver. Lindsay Goodloe On 5/6/15 1:56 PM, "Geo Kloppel" wrote: > I guess it's an element of local Crow culture, maybe even limited to > particular families who have toad ponds within their territories and pass the > trick down the generations. > > -Geo Kloppel > > On May 6, 2015, at 1:31 PM, Melanie Uhlir wrote: > >> Very interesting. But I'm sad about the toad slaughter. I'm glad I've never >> noticed this in person! >> >> I guess the toad populations are able to survive this seasonal devastation. >> Great White Sharks take advantage of seal breeding season in the same way. I >> think the sharks eat the whole seal though. Crows are gourmands. Or maybe >> there's a specific nutritional benefit to eating the toads' livers. >> >> On 5/5/2015 8:27 PM, Geo Kloppel wrote: >>> I did a little reading on the subject, and it seems that Crows, being very >>> intelligent, sometimes develop local traditions in which they annually take >>> advantage of these pool parties to feast on toad livers. >>> >>> This has been happening for years at my pond! >>> >>> -Geo Kloppel >>> -- >>> >>> 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/ >>> >>> -- >> > > -- > > 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/ > > -- > -- 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/ --
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Crows like toad liver
I guess it's an element of local Crow culture, maybe even limited to particular families who have toad ponds within their territories and pass the trick down the generations. -Geo Kloppel On May 6, 2015, at 1:31 PM, Melanie Uhlir wrote: > Very interesting. But I'm sad about the toad slaughter. I'm glad I've never > noticed this in person! > > I guess the toad populations are able to survive this seasonal devastation. > Great White Sharks take advantage of seal breeding season in the same way. I > think the sharks eat the whole seal though. Crows are gourmands. Or maybe > there's a specific nutritional benefit to eating the toads' livers. > > On 5/5/2015 8:27 PM, Geo Kloppel wrote: >> I did a little reading on the subject, and it seems that Crows, being very >> intelligent, sometimes develop local traditions in which they annually take >> advantage of these pool parties to feast on toad livers. >> >> This has been happening for years at my pond! >> >> -Geo Kloppel >> -- >> >> 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/ >> >> -- > -- 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/ --
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Crows like toad liver
Very interesting. But I'm sad about the toad slaughter. I'm glad I've never noticed this in person! I guess the toad populations are able to survive this seasonal devastation. Great White Sharks take advantage of seal breeding season in the same way. I think the sharks eat the whole seal though. Crows are gourmands. Or maybe there's a specific nutritional benefit to eating the toads' livers. On 5/5/2015 8:27 PM, Geo Kloppel wrote: I did a little reading on the subject, and it seems that Crows, being very intelligent, sometimes develop local traditions in which they annually take advantage of these pool parties to feast on toad livers. This has been happening for years at my pond! -Geo Kloppel -- 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/ -- -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Crows like toad liver
I did a little reading on the subject, and it seems that Crows, being very intelligent, sometimes develop local traditions in which they annually take advantage of these pool parties to feast on toad livers. This has been happening for years at my pond! -Geo Kloppel -- 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/ --
