Why so many crows & magpies?

goodmum

Hi All,

Hoping someone can tell me the answer to this.

I've recently bought a new house which was built on what used to be 'waste-ground'. It was a field in the centre of a larger, older development which was used mainly for anti-social behaviour. There were no trees in the field, just grass.

So our houses were built there and myself and my lo just love birds so we tend to put some bread out most mornings, turn off the tv and just wait for them to come so we can see how many/what type we get etc.

And I have never seen so many blackbirds or magpies in my life! I'm not kidding. We get the very odd finch (and we've had a robin too ), but it's mainly magpies and blackbirds. Oh, and the odd wild pigeon.

Is this because of where my house has been built? I've honestly never seen so many magpies & crows, this morning we had 5 magpies and 6 crows coming for the bread - and my garden is not big!

And can we attract any other types of birds???
Thanks

stevoman

they are oppurtunistic feeders. do you live in a town/city or countryside?

Fredrick

Try putting out seed feeders up high and not in easy reach of cats and see how it goes, i live in clondalkin housing estate and we get house sparrows, starlings, blackbirds, great tits, blue tits, a robin, chaffinch, goldcrest, long tail tit, crows & maggies oh yeah and collered doves, all since we started putting the seed out. We always had the sparrows and starlings and the 2 you mentioned but, after some time, months, we started seeing the others appear and its great we love it.

Yep the crows and magpies are everywhere and there not the nicest looking bird either and there calls are not that pleasing to the ear.

Heres some of the stuff we put out, they love the ball things in the first tub and last feeder on the right.

http://www.aldi.ie/ie/html/offers/2867_8229.htm

Patrick

goodmum

I'm on the nortside of dublin, in a housing estate (would that be called a suburb??!)

I must get some of those seedfeeders...so it's just down to the fact that they are opportunistic? I thought perhaps they had previously been feeding in the wasteground and just continued to come here...?

Fredrick

goodmum wrote: »

I'm on the nortside of dublin, in a housing estate (would that be called a suburb??!)

I must get some of those seedfeeders...so it's just down to the fact that they are opportunistic? I thought perhaps they had previously been feeding in the wasteground and just continued to come here...?

Ah theres your answer you live on the northside

Kidding, i think it might be a bit of both opportunistic and familiar ground? But sure see how you get on with the seed you might be pleasently surprised.

goodmum

I was thinking it might be because I'm a northsider alright!!:D I'll be getting one of the seed feeders today - keep you posted..thanks

meathstevie

Stop feeding them for a while, you're not doing any small birds in the area any favours attracting crows and magpies - especially magpies.

Once they stop frequenting your garden in significant numbers put out the seed feeders specifically designed for small birds.

Fredrick

meathstevie wrote: »

Stop feeding them for a while, you're not doing any small birds in the area any favours attracting crows and magpies - especially magpies.

Once they stop frequenting your garden in significant numbers put out the seed feeders specifically designed for small birds.

Fair Point.

goodmum

Will do, and thanks again!

caspermccormack

In my back garden we are ruined with magpies, I am getting to the point of distraction. They eat all the seed and nuts i have for the smaller birds which were lots of, until the last year or so. When I feed my dog they come in large groups and wreck her head, and she is a massive Alaskan Malamute. I have seen them attack young kittens, nothing seams to deter them, and I thing they are over populated in my area. Time to get the BB gun out!!:rolleyes:

sorella

Magpies are a plague.

We lost a small kitten to one once too.

Thankfully we live out in the country with no neighbours, two hunter-cats and two dogs.

One of the dogs has been trained to bark and " see off" crows and magpies; this has totally banished them.

And the cats chased one off.

I haven't seen or heard one for weeks, and the odd crow soon gives up.

Hope they didn't come over to you when they left here

caspermccormack wrote: »

In my back garden we are ruined with magpies, I am getting to the point of distraction. They eat all the seed and nuts i have for the smaller birds which were lots of, until the last year or so. When I feed my dog they come in large groups and wreck her head, and she is a massive Alaskan Malamute. I have seen them attack young kittens, nothing seams to deter them, and I thing they are over populated in my area. Time to get the BB gun out!!:rolleyes:

meathstevie

Do not use airsoft weapons or slingshots or any of that kind on live animals as you'll be breaking the law in relation to cruelty to animals and the various wildlife acts that state that proper traps or firearms have to be used. If and when magpies or crows are killing or harassing your pets to such an extent that they need to be destroyed you have a couple of options. When you live down the country with nothing around you for a reasonable distance you can ask someone with a shotgun or a rifle to shoot them for you ( rifle only on the ground with a good backstop ) or you can put out a Larssen type trap. If you're in a built up area trapping is your only solution. Personally I wouldn't use poison ( baited meat is illegal anyway ) as it causes way too much unintended damage among other wildlife.

I know killing any sort of wildlife is frowned upon in here. My intention with this post is making clear what can be done within the law when someone has decided they want a pest removed.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

sorella wrote: »

Magpies are a plague...

Thankfully we live out in the country with no neighbours, two hunter-cats and two dogs...

You may have a means of deterring Magpies but how many other birds do your "hunter-cats" kill every year? It's well proven that Cats kill more birds every year in this country than Magpies. :mad:

Git101

Brinley Uninterested Gynecologist wrote: »

It's well proven that Cats kill more birds every year in this country than Magpies. :mad:

Where has it been well proven ?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Git101 wrote: »

Where has it been well proven ?

I'm not going to recite all the research papers here but if you look on RSPB, BTO, and Birdwatch Ireland you'll get some info. A simple Google will also lead you to some sources. Many of the more scientific papers are not available on-line but can be accessed by visiting a good library or through the various bird societies, and most universities.
You have to be kidding me though if you genuinely don't believe that Domestic Cats kill more birds than Magpies. It has long been shown that Magpies only feed on song birds for a very short spell each year and, even then, birds make up less than 30% of their diet. Domestic Cats kill more than 15 Million Birds and small mammals in Britain and an estimated 3 Million+ birds in Ireland.

Git101

Thanks for the info, Sraeem

I didn't say I didn't believe it. I was just wondering where I could get some info.