Clever Corvids

My canary’s cage was next to the garden window and he was used to seeing magpies and crows but I checked when he gave an alarm call that I hadn’t heard before and it was a Jay in the garden.
I stopped a couple of magpies raiding a rucksack that a dad had put down while playing with his child.
I was upset at seeing a crow fly up with something in his beak and drop it (as they do with shells and nuts) and when I checked it was a tiny gosling - still alive but died within seconds.

nature is nature, as hard as it seems at times. I do find it strange however, that crowns or magpies will be demonised by some for feeding on other birds and young, whilst it is admired and accepted for birds of prey like kites.

I certainly don’t admire birds of prey when I see them pouncing on other birds and taking them away. The crows chase them off, which I think is clever and brave.

Fleurpepper I agree nature is nature , it’s just that I love my newts , they are so pretty. Interesting that this crow only visits in the Spring when it gets warm enough for the newts to come out of hibernation and into the pond . I woke up the other morning to the sound of loud tapping and a woodpecker was busy trying to get into a nest that was in the wooden fascia of the gutter next door . It’s a tough life !

Germanshepherdsmum

I certainly don’t admire birds of prey when I see them pouncing on other birds and taking them away. The crows chase them off, which I think is clever and brave.

Me neither. Very upsetting quite recently to see a sparrowhawk zoom down and take a great spotted woodpecker who was on our fat ball feeder. 😥

My daughter’s budgie escaped and flew up into a tree and within about 20 seconds a currawong ( big black and white bird) got it. Nature is red in tooth and claw, as they say.

My dad used to shoot crows when a flock of them started to eat the crops on the farm. They were considered a menace. I agree they are very intelligent and I see them in my garden quite often. We also have a lot of magpies who are also very intelligent.

I keep small sticky patterned patches permanently on the back windows to stop birds mainly wood pigeons from committing suicide.

I like all the stories about intelligent birds.

Exactly this! All winter/ spring long, I think it became a bit of a game with them, 2 feeders dislodged and dropped on the lawn most days( they are very strong) I eventually gave up with the feeders and stuck to ground feeding so everyone had a chance

We have had a pair of crows here for some years now. One sits up in a tree near the door on watch and as soon as I come out with the bowl of bird food he shouts " cark" which I presume means "grubs up" because all the birds swoop down at the signal. I'm very fond of my corvids, the great clunky crows, the evening dress magpies (which are seen off by the collared doves) and a great flock of noisy jackdaws which live in the ruined house nextdoor. In

Another good book to read is The Ravenmaster by Christopher Skaife about the ravens at the Tower of London.

Last year we had a hare which browsed on the grass. This year it brought 4 leverets to eat the grass. Eco friendly lawn mowers. They haven't learned to ignore us yet as their mum did.

We have several crows who have discovered our bird feeders. They try to hang on to them with wings flapping wildly then bang their heads agaythe feeder so the seeds drop out. Then its a mad scramble between crows and pigeons to see who can get the food that has fallen onto the grass! Strangely this is the first year we have had crows after the food

Magpies are the smartest of all, patrolling the hedgerows around here, to raid the songbird nests. I wonder how may small bird chicks or eggs it takes to feed the magpies own nestlings.

Since our last cat died, the magpies and a couple of regular crows have taken over our lawn. I've not actually seen them take down feeders but the crows in particular have come to dominate the lawn, leaving with beakfuls of food while the robin doesn't get a look in. We have a couple of acorn shaped feeders that hold peanuts and are so lightweight and swingy that only small birds attempt to feed from them fortunately.

On April 12th there was a podcast from a Book Club (Spectator, I think, someone sent it to me) by Frieda Hughes (Ted and Silvia's daughter) who has written a memoire about adopting a magpie, George. It was delightful. George even got on well with her Maltese terriers.

I have a small flat roof at the back of my bedroom and feed the birds every morning and late afternoon. I have an array of birds from starlings, pigeons, doves and this year an increase in sparrows. Over the past few years a magpie will visit and the other smaller birds will take off. We heard a commotion on Sunday and thought our cat had caught a baby - I ran out to find a magpie had a young starling and was pecking at it. The magpies flew off as I went over and the poor bird was still alive. I picked it up and it was quite poorly and died a short time later. Isn't nature cruel. We do have many feeders in the garden and have set up a feeding station under the trees. The pigeons and doves will try and sit in the larger open feeders and the starlings will hang onto the others and have such large appetites. Fat balls go in a matter of hours. I try to hide coconut shell feeders for the small birds but the starlings always find them. As for crows they do not come into my garden but I have watched them on bin day, go from one bag to the next and if they sense something food wise they will pull the bag apart to get at whatever is there. So clever.

I have bird feeders up which pigeons and crows can’t access. Two pigeons sit looking into the kitchen every morning until I throw them a few handfuls of seed. As soon as I do this I hear crows cawing loudly and they come down too. So they’re obviously calling to each other to tell them there’s food around. Amazes me how quickly they can clear it all up!

I noticed Mr and Mrs Sparrow looking for food on our front lawn.

One bird was pecking around on the ground, the other was sitting high up in the lilac keeping an eye out for the cats. Then the two sparrows changed places.

My adorable Magpie who I saved a couple of years ago regularly visits with his family as he knows I am a trusted friend , they do 😊🦅

I too have at least one crafty Crow who manages to get a feeder off the hook and lob it on the lawn. Gets some food out and then re flings it around the grass.
We put it back up, it gets it down again.
Quite entertaining, clever bird.

Germanshepherdsmum

I certainly don’t admire birds of prey when I see them pouncing on other birds and taking them away. The crows chase them off, which I think is clever and brave.

Last summer I looked up and saw a red kite circling overhead. Within seconds two crows arrived and ushered it away to another area. It was fascinating to watch.

We often see Jay's

Even Mozart knew how clever they were with his "The Thieving Magpie. "They are such clever birds arent they?

Oops! Hit wrong button. Wanted to say we often see jays burying acorns in the autumn. Sometimes they'll pick up a stone to cover the spot. I've even found a tiny oak tree sprouting in a hanging basket