Carrion Crows?

johngalway

Hi folks,

Since the snow I've noticed some carrion crows move into my area. They're a new bird to me, as we've had greycrows and ravens.

Do they have the same behaviour as greycrows, in regards to livestock and other animals?

ATB,

John

Invincible

They've caught carrion crows in funnel traps on a Red Grouse project in Roscommon,not native here,common in uk,similar in feeding habits to grey crow.

http://www.diy-pest-control.co.uk/carrion-crow-pestid-113.php

LostCovey

Invincible wrote: »

They've caught carrion crows in funnel traps on a Red Grouse project in Roscommon,not native here,common in uk,similar in feeding habits to grey crow.

http://www.diy-pest-control.co.uk/carrion-crow-pestid-113.php

Most "Carrion Crows" turn out to be young rooks. The first winter birds are very hard to tell from Carrion Crows.

Not saying it is impossible, just very unlikely.

LC

LostCovey

johngalway wrote: »

Hi folks,

Since the snow I've noticed some carrion crows move into my area. They're a new bird to me, as we've had greycrows and ravens.

Do they have the same behaviour as greycrows, in regards to livestock and other animals?

ATB,

John

Any photos John?

Invincible

They sent them off for identification and were confirmed as carrion crows.

LostCovey

Invincible wrote: »

They sent them off for identification and were confirmed as carrion crows.

Who sent them where?

Sorry to be so pernickety, but this would be huge news. Occasional/single birds do turn up, but the idea that they are turning up this far west in numbers is fascinating. Small flocks show up on the east/notrth-east coast sometimes, but never in the west/inland, presumably because they can't compete for territory with established Grey Crows.

I have pasted in below all the reported Carrion Crows from recent times, from irishbirding.com just to make the point that this is big news, and I do not think it is widely known (assuming it is true of course).

Lost Covey


1. IB29586 28 Dec 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Courtown Harbour Wexford
2. IB29527 27 Dec 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Larne Lough Antrim
3. IB29426 23 Dec 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 North Bull Island Dublin
4. IB28866 05 Dec 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 North Bull Island Dublin
5. IB28660 28 Nov 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Whitehead Antrim
6. IB28607 27 Nov 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Greenore Port Louth
7. IB28276 16 Nov 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Sraith Shaile Galway
8. IB28027 09 Nov 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Larne Lough Antrim
9. IB27881 05 Nov 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Shannon Airport Clare
10. IB27577 25 Oct 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 North Bull Island Dublin
11. IB27446 23 Oct 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Kilcoole Wicklow
12. IB26496 02 Oct 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Kilcoole Wicklow
13. IB26381 29 Sept 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 North Bull Island Dublin
14. IB26351 28 Sept 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Newcastle Wicklow
15. IB26338 27 Sept 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 North Bull Island Dublin
16. IB26031 19 Sept 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Mornington Meath
17. IB25863 16 Sept 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Sandymount Dublin
18. IB25712 14 Sept 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Dun Laoghaire Dublin
19. IB25352 09 Sept 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 12 Copeland Islands Down
20. IB25345 09 Sept 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Balbriggan Dublin
21. IB24535 25 Aug 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 2 Carlingford Lough Down
22. IB24447 22 Aug 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 North Bull Island Dublin
23. IB24341 21 Aug 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 North Bull Island Dublin
24. IB24322 20 Aug 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 30 Cloghey Down
25. IB24113 13 Aug 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Baltray Louth
26. IB23366 02 Jul 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Cape Clear Island Cork
27. IB23351 30 Jun 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 R633 Cork
28. IB23151 04 Jun 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 5 Down Down
29. IB23007 26 May 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Ballycotton Cork
30. IB22998 26 May 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Carlingford Louth
31. IB22679 06 May 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Arklow Ponds Wicklow
32. IB22315 21 Apr 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 2 Tacumshin Wexford
33. IB21415 17 Mar 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Killmarley Monaghan
34. IB21385 15 Mar 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 2 Dalkey Dublin
35. IB21370 14 Mar 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 2 Loop Head Clare
36. IB21121 05 Mar 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 South Slob Wexford
37. IB21109 05 Mar 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 North Bull Island Dublin
38. IB20995 01 Mar 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 South Slob Wexford
39. IB20945 28 Feb 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Carlingford Louth
40. IB20834 22 Feb 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Ballyconnell Sligo
41. IB20723 20 Feb 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Raghly Sligo
42. IB20662 17 Feb 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Ringsend Dublin
43. IB20372 07 Feb 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 North Bull Island Dublin
44. IB20001 23 Jan 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 North Bull Island Dublin
45. IB19846 19 Jan 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Kilcoole Wicklow
46. IB19806 18 Jan 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Larne Lough Antrim
47. IB19754 17 Jan 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Ballyquintin Down
48. IB19432 09 Jan 10 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 2 Ballygally Antrim
49. IB19052 29 Dec 09 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 2 A2 Down
50. IB18633 12 Dec 09 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 1 Rosslare Backstrand Wexfor

landkeeper

yes john they behave just the same as grey crows when it comes to livestock , bellied ewes, lambs eyes and tongues picked out while they are being born general mayhem and feck artists where there are weak sick incapacitated animals they can get at
only good one is a dead one
the old adage still holds true though
if you see one rook its a crow and if you see many crows they are rooks :cool:

johngalway

landkeeper wrote: »

yes john they behave just the same as grey crows when it comes to livestock , bellied ewes, lambs eyes and tongues picked out while they are being born general mayhem and feck artists where there are weak sick incapacitated animals they can get at
only good one is a dead one
the old adage still holds true though
if you see one rook its a crow and if you see many crows they are rooks :cool:

Seen one pair twice. Both times I was driving so I'll need to stop and take a proper look at them with the bins next time I spot them.

No6

They wern't a pair of ravens, had enough to tell the difference with a rook from a distance especially if they arn't flying.

Birdnuts

No6 wrote: »

They wern't a pair of ravens, had enough to tell the difference with a rook from a distance especially if they arn't flying.

Its not that hard really - Ravens are nearly twice the size,slower wingbeats and have a very distinct call compared to other corvids. On the subject of Carrion Crows, I've definatly heard of more coming over here since the cold weather kicked in at the end of last month.

PS: Sorry, didn't see the "aren't flying" bit - another distinct feature of Ravens is their noticeable "beard"

Birdnuts

johngalway wrote: »

Do they have the same behaviour as greycrows, in regards to livestock and other animals?

ATB,

John

Yes - and they can interbreed with hoodies:)

johngalway

I'll get a photo if I have the camera with me next time. They didn't look as big as ravens to me, we've a fair few of them here.

johngalway

Birdnuts wrote: »

Yes - and they can interbreed with hoodies:)

Now that you say it I remember seeing something about "hybrids" from interbreeding.

Birdnuts

johngalway wrote: »

Now that you say it I remember seeing something about "hybrids" from interbreeding.

Yes - in areas were their ranges meet ie. in Scotland and parts of Eastern Europe, this is quiet a common event

LostCovey

johngalway wrote: »

Now that you say it I remember seeing something about "hybrids" from interbreeding.

John,

To be honest, the presence of numbers of hybrid Carrion x Hooded Crows in the midlands and west of Ireland would be equally as unlikely as the presence of numbers of Carrion Crows - in fact their presence would require a population of Carrion Crow for the Hoodies to have hybridised with.

The Carrion Crow on the Bull Island in Dublin at the moment is a hybrid - see here http://www.irishbirding.com/birds/web/Display/sighting/26381/Carrion_Crow.html

Young Rooks on the move in hard weather is far more likely. Are you familiar with them and are there many rookeries in your area of Conamara?

Photos of young Rooks:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72226765@N00/3616538005/
http://www.johnandrewwright.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/rook-juvenile-720-9027.jpg
http://www.birddb.co.uk/img/Bird1090.jpg

Best wishes,

LostCovey