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Strange Crow!

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  • 15-05-2019 6:14pm
    #1
    Stigura
    Registered Users Posts: 3,413 ✭✭✭


    Just seen the damndest thing. I have some bird feed down, permanently, on the track outside my gate. (Ooh! Three woodpigeons and the cock pheasant feeding as I write! Never had three before) It'd be about twenty five foot from my door.

    And, earlier, I stepped out to do something and thought; " Oh, gray crow. ..... Hang about; That Is a gray crow ... isn't it?! "

    Strangest looking bird. Standing very upright. Couldn't see the gray. Was surprised it was even still standing there. Seemed 'slim' too.

    Then it took off. Again, I'm just not registering any gray. Asked myself if it were a jackdaw? No way. Just wrong for a jack. Obviously not a raven. I've never, in my life, seen a rook look like this thing either.

    Even the way it flew was strange! Not the wing beats. The direction. It went up. Flew over to a stand of firs, as if it was going to pass over or land in them. Then, seemed to change its mind and instead turned back and flew right past me. I sort of got the impression this bird was totally unfamiliar with the place.

    Carrion crow? Possibly. I haven't seen one, in real life, for over a decade. But, again, everything about this weird bird (its 'jiz') was 'wrong'.

    Damndest thing. Really just mentioning it here, lest any confirmed reports should ever surface of some exotic corvid species turning up to the west.

    Absolute mystery!


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    #2
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 76,474 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    Almost sounds like a heron, if it weren't the wrong shape/size...


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    #3
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 76,474 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    Anything here?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi1p0yh4X3I


    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_of_Ireland#Crows,_jays,_ravens,_and_magpies


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    #4
    Stigura
    Registered Users Posts: 3,413 ✭✭✭Stigura


    Not far wrong! :eek:

    No. It Must have been a young rook. Has to have been.

    Ye know yeself; First rule of birding: Always assume it's something common, unless there's compelling evidence to the contrary.

    So, it's like; A/ We don't really see rooks here ~ But, there are Hundreds of nests in town, six miles away.

    B/ We're well within the time frame, for even a well grown and independent youngster.

    C/ Its relatively 'stupid' behaviour, in coming back across, well within 12 bore range. The local gray's no longer fear me. But, they Do have enough cop on to show a little respect.

    What in Hell it was doing, standing like that? God alone knows. Taking the piss? Making out it was a heron?

    Anyone else seeing young rooks just now? That'll sew it up ;)


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    #5
    Beast4mdaeast
    Registered Users Posts: 57 ✭✭Beast4mdaeast


    Was it a Grey or hooded crow, also known as the corron crow?? Lots and lots of them in Dublin Kildare


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    #6
    Beast4mdaeast
    Registered Users Posts: 57 ✭✭Beast4mdaeast


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    #7
    Del.Monte
    Registered Users Posts: 12,363 ✭✭✭✭Del.Monte


    Beast4mdaeast wrote: »
    Was it a Grey or hooded crow, also known as the corron crow?? Lots and lots of them in Dublin Kildare

    A Hooded Crow is sometimes known as a 'grey crow' not a Carrion Crow. Carrion Crows are very scarce in Ireland.

    ****



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    #8
    bkrangle
    Registered Users Posts: 607 ✭✭✭bkrangle


    Del.Monte wrote: »
    A Hooded Crow is sometimes known as a 'grey crow' not a Carrion Crow. Carrion Crows are very scarce in Ireland.

    There's very little difference between the two species genetically. They can produce viable offspring by crossbreeding but they tend not to, which is quite interesting

    https://www.nature.com/news/two-crows-kept-separate-by-their-looks-1.15436


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    #9
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    bkrangle wrote: »
    There's very little difference between the two species genetically. They can produce viable offspring by crossbreeding but they tend not to, which is quite interesting

    https://www.nature.com/news/two-crows-kept-separate-by-their-looks-1.15436

    All true but not relevant to Ireland really.


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    #10
    amadangomor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,148 ✭✭✭amadangomor


    Kimberly Modern Valley wrote: »
    All true but not relevant to Ireland really.
    Why? The Carrion Crow range extends to Britain a few dozen miles away so I'm sure we get some vagrants here.


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    #11
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Because they do not occur in any numbers here and, certainly not sufficiently for what is even just occasional breeding where their ranges do properly overlap. The range for hooded crows in the British Isles is Ireland, the Isle of Man and Scotland’s north west.
    amadangomor wrote: »
    Why? The Carrion Crow range extends to Britain a few dozen miles away so I'm sure we get some vagrants here.


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    #12
    recedite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,993 ✭✭✭✭recedite


    Numbers isn't the reason though.
    It would appear to be tribalism or racism among the crows.
    The Hoodies control the Celtic areas, and that's the way they like it.


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    #13
    amadangomor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,148 ✭✭✭amadangomor


    Kimberly Modern Valley wrote: »
    Because they do not occur in any numbers here and, certainly not sufficiently for what is even just occasional breeding where their ranges do properly overlap. The range for hooded crows in the British Isles is Ireland, the Isle of Man and Scotland’s north west.

    The OP is about a strange crow in Ireland, my point is that it could possibly be a carrion crow who travelled outside it's normal range which is very close to Ireland! Don't get your point about numbers?


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    #14
    recedite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,993 ✭✭✭✭recedite


    amadangomor wrote: »
    Don't get your point about numbers?
    I was responding to the previous post..
    they do not occur in any numbers here and, certainly not sufficiently for what is even just occasional breeding where their ranges do properly overlap
    There isn't much interbreeding, but its not due to a lack of numbers, mobility, or opportunity. Its a curious thing alright.


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