Crow Antics

[Judi A]

This is for Maya,

You remarked how smart crows are and that made me think of an article in our paper last year. They found a place in the forest near here that had hundreds of golf balls that were taken there by crows. Some of the balls had been flown 20 miles from the golf courses.

No one can figure out what their obsession is with the balls.

We also have around here a rascal of a bird called a Whiskey Jack. They are very bold and will come right up to you and try to steal something. When I'm out painting they prance around on my palette and try to pick up the brush or dabs of color.

Judi

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[Judi A]

This is for Maya,

You remarked how smart crows are and that made me think of an article in our paper last year. They found a place in the forest near here that had hundreds of golf balls that were taken there by crows. Some of the balls had been flown 20 miles from the golf courses.

No one can figure out what their obsession is with the balls.

We also have around here a rascal of a bird called a Whiskey Jack. They are very bold and will come right up to you and try to steal something. When I'm out painting they prance around on my palette and try to pick up the brush or dabs of color.

Judi

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[Crow Haven]

I love your tales of the crow and image you posted! Yes, I have also heard of ravens doing this and news from Alaska where a year or so ago Easter colored eggs were hidden around a park for the kids to find---but the crafty ravens had been watching their placement and when the adults left they quickly hunted up the colored eggs and flew off with them [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] . The kids were a bit disappointed but more eggs were stocked. I recently saw a video of a crow playing with a 2-3 month old black and white kitten...just incredible! They were the best of pals and literally ran and wrestled each other around the yard. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] Most people don't know how unusual these birds are. Your Whiskey Jack is also a member of the corvid family and shares a lot of the personality traits! They are very playful and fun. Thanks for your posted picture and story [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
---As The Crow Sees---
Maya

[gwpriester]

Judi

Are you confusing crows with Mynah birds? I belive crows have black beaks and feet? Maya will tell us if this is correct.

I'm not sure what the difference is between crows and ravens, but in our neck of the woods the ravens are pretty clever. If people leave their trash out in plastic bags, the ravens peck holes in the side and pull out anything that is edible.

It's pretty amusing until it happens to you [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]

Gary

Gary Priester

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XaraXone

[Judi A]

I just looked in my bird book and they don't have yellow beaks. I was pretty sure their feet were black but wanted them to show up.

My weak defense is artistic license.

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[Ross Macintosh]

Judi - You wrote: [judiquote]No one can figure out what their obsession is with the balls[/judiquote].

Perhaps the birds thought they were eggs and stole them. I rather doubt they took them to frustrate the golfers. Most golfers are already frustrated enough. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

I've played golf and had my ball stolen from the fairway by a fox! Sly little critter ran right out of the rough and swiped the ball. The club pro said it happens frequently and the have found stashes of dozens of balls. He said a naturalist told him the foxes think the balls are eggs. The course was in Cape Breton Highlands National Park (Canada) so the course officials weren't at liberty to hunt down the foxes. I suggested training the foxes to hate balls. My proposed method was to put some of that bitter stuff, as is used to keep dogs off furniture, on some balls and let the foxes get a mouthful of that taste - they will soon learn balls aren't eggs. I doubt the course officials tried my method. (They are unionized government workers and putting bitters on balls likely isn't in their job descriptions [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]). I wonder how many more helpless golfballs have to die before they do something!!!

Great pic Judi. Great fun.

Regards, Ross

<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>

[Judi A]

That is a good explaination Ross, especially after Maya told the story of the ravens/crows stealing the Easter Eggs hidden for a hunt.

But still unanswered is why would they carry them 20 miles away with the intent of eating them?

Dr. Doolittle where are you????

Judi

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[Ross Macintosh]

For an animal that can migrate thousands of miles. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Regards, Ross

<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>

[Crow Haven]

After stealing so many golf balls they surely know they aren't eggs--they learn things quickly--but they may be caching them for another purpose (perhaps they plan a garage sale!) really it is a mystery and I haven't yet heard of an explanation. A lot of birds do crave calcium and seek out white-colored objects hoping they are chalk-like. A few have even sought out white paint chips--and they will eat egg shells if you put out boiled ones for them. Maybe if they pecked at the golf balls they discovered a chalky substance??? Just a guess. Maybe because they enjoy drama they found fun in aggravating the golfers who would yell at them--parrots, for instance, will do anything for drama and this can lead to your accidentally "rewarding" them with "drama" when they nip at you... [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
---As the Crow Flies! (and distance means nothing)
---Maya