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Crows taking a Smoke Bath!

  • 08-06-2017 09:39AM
    #1
    evolving_doors
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,810 ✭✭✭✭


    Just looked up at my neighbour's chimney and saw Crows taking turns preening themselves whilst dipping themselves into the smoke.

    Is this a thing or have I just never seen it before?

    I'll go out again and try and get a video.


Comments

  • #2
    Alun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 21,529 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    I had a hunch it might be to remove parasites such as lice, and Google'd it, seems I was right :)

    https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/ask-an-expert/previous/chimneys.aspx


  • #3
    celica00
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 880 ✭✭✭celica00


    Surprises me every time how smart they are!


  • #4
    evolving_doors
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,810 ✭✭✭✭evolving_doors


    Strange.. how do they know that it'll remove parasites? Or they just do the ritual as their predecessors dI'd. They certainly loved it though!

    Anyhow here's the video... don't really see it till 28 seconds
    https://vimeo.com/220767088?ref=tw-share


  • #5
    Alcoheda
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 246 ✭✭Alcoheda


    They're extremely intelligent.
    Way more than most people think.


  • #6
    baaba maal
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 772 ✭✭✭baaba maal


    I think birds have a sense of needing to remove parasites (I presume the parasites are itchy etc.)- when I tip the cold woodash from my fire onto the ground, my hens run straight at it to have a dustbath- they really dig into it and scoop it over themselves using their wings. Hilarious to see and interesting!


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  • #7
    Hotei
    Closed Accounts Posts: 506 ✭✭✭Hotei


    Rooks on my neighbour's roof last year:

    27638955730_d72470c761_b.jpg

    27304601143_1b088d33bc_b.jpg


  • #8
    recedite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,989 ✭✭✭✭recedite


    Those rooks look like they are really enjoying it. I wonder if they have any preference for different fuel types, ie smoky coal, "smokeless", logs or turf?

    Think I would prefer a turf fire myself, if I was a crow :)


  • #9
    tabby aspreme
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,362 ✭✭✭tabby aspreme


    recedite wrote: »
    Those rooks look like they are really enjoying it. I wonder if they have any preference for different fuel types, ie smoky coal, "smokeless", logs or turf?

    Think I would prefer a turf fire myself, if I was a crow :)

    I have seen them do it with a freshly lit coal fire , at first I thought they were trying to get into the chimney and the smoke was preventing them, don't know how they weren't suffocated


  • #10
    evolving_doors
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,810 ✭✭✭✭evolving_doors


    Oh forgot... here's the video dunno how to upload
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5XNz0IvNgsNTXQ3ZHFheUR3Y0E/view?usp=drivesdk


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