thanks for this very interesting and informative post. i was wondering if you could say anything about what is going on here in this photo from our garden of house crows in india
Well, first of all, this is an adorable shot and you should share it in the Feathered Friends Community, they will love it! (tag me if you do and I'll send you a vote)
Secondly, while I am not familiar with the crow "culture" of this species on your side of the world, I would venture to say that this might be a family of parents and fledglings. The crow at the back of the line looks like his pouch is full of food, and there is a crow down in the corner right that looks like they are begging to be fed. I could be wrong, though. It's easier to make educated guesses knowing what was going on when you took the picture. I'm guessing that you feed them? It seems like they are quite close and trust you and are expecting something from you.
thanks for your reply. as far as i know there wasn't anything special going on. it was the only time i have seen them gather so close and lined up like that. we don't feed them regularly but there are rituals related to the spirits of ancestors involving feeding them. otherwise they get fish innards and various scraps now and then. they certainly come and actively beg/request/demand food if we eat outside there are often large gatherings in the trees but i haven't studied them.
as for the photo i did post a similar one in a post about the asian koel which are brood parasites and lay an egg in the nests of unsuspecting house crows
Interesting! Well I know that the crows here will come and ask for food even if they are crows that I seldom see and have only fed once or twice. They also look for cues that indicate if they might be getting some food (like fish guts, maybe they saw you bring home a fish?). The crows here also gather in trees sometimes to do what I think is a sort of census, seeing who is around, how big their families are.
I'd love to hear more about the rituals you have pertaining to ancestors and feeding them. Is it just for crows, or all birds? I find that crows and ravens have a lot of significance in cultures and religious practices around the world, I think because they are so intelligent and have such strong family bonds.
crows have a special significance for hindus. my wife is hindu and she recommended this link https://vedichealing.com/the-crows-significance-in-indian-mythology/
crows are seen as a go between this world and the spirit world and so during certain rituals regarding ancestors we make an extra a plate of the food we eat and put it out for them before we eat.
we put out water several places for all birds and they are very popular so we keep a watch out for good photo opportunities. the crows have a peculiar behavior of putting rotten food in the water. i have always wondered why. it does deter all the other species of birds from drinking and bathing in the water so we frequently change it. any thoughts?
What a wonderful ritual! I will check out that link tonight, tell you wife I said thank you for recommending it!
There is a restaurant next door to me that always puts out a small plate of food when they open. I think they are Buddhist, which is different, of course, but I wonder if the practice is similar. I am just waiting for the day that the crows discover this plate and eat from it.
Crows like to stay hydrated and also like to soak their food. What is rotten to you might be aged to perfection to them! But they also still appreciate fresh water. Sometimes having two water sources can cut down on the mess, but that could also create a second soaking spot for the crows...
I have watched a crow funeral, they sit in a circle and take turns to visit. However, they did not allow anyone to remove the body until dusk. This was many years ago and still remember this strange event.
You seem to understand this ritual much better.
That was a great video. Thanks for sharing it with us. It's amazing how loud crows can be. We had a whole bunch of crows nesting in the forest across the road and they got to be be annoying and loud we couldn't wait for them to move out. After some fireworks from the neighbor who owns that property, they packed their bags and move on.🤪
I'm sorry to hear that. Crows are actually very beneficial to have if you have a farm and keep animals. If you learn their calls you can recognize when different types of predators are around, from raptors to raccoons, coyotes, etc. If you feed the families and bond with them, they will protect your chickens and other small animals. This has been documented on many accounts. Fireworks can actually traumatize and kill crows and other wildlife.
Crows are an asset to humanity.
But I'm glad you appreciated the video, thank you.
thanks for this very interesting and informative post. i was wondering if you could say anything about what is going on here in this photo from our garden of house crows in india
Well, first of all, this is an adorable shot and you should share it in the Feathered Friends Community, they will love it! (tag me if you do and I'll send you a vote)
Secondly, while I am not familiar with the crow "culture" of this species on your side of the world, I would venture to say that this might be a family of parents and fledglings. The crow at the back of the line looks like his pouch is full of food, and there is a crow down in the corner right that looks like they are begging to be fed. I could be wrong, though. It's easier to make educated guesses knowing what was going on when you took the picture. I'm guessing that you feed them? It seems like they are quite close and trust you and are expecting something from you.
thanks for your reply. as far as i know there wasn't anything special going on. it was the only time i have seen them gather so close and lined up like that. we don't feed them regularly but there are rituals related to the spirits of ancestors involving feeding them. otherwise they get fish innards and various scraps now and then. they certainly come and actively beg/request/demand food if we eat outside there are often large gatherings in the trees but i haven't studied them.
as for the photo i did post a similar one in a post about the asian koel which are brood parasites and lay an egg in the nests of unsuspecting house crows
Interesting! Well I know that the crows here will come and ask for food even if they are crows that I seldom see and have only fed once or twice. They also look for cues that indicate if they might be getting some food (like fish guts, maybe they saw you bring home a fish?). The crows here also gather in trees sometimes to do what I think is a sort of census, seeing who is around, how big their families are.
I'd love to hear more about the rituals you have pertaining to ancestors and feeding them. Is it just for crows, or all birds? I find that crows and ravens have a lot of significance in cultures and religious practices around the world, I think because they are so intelligent and have such strong family bonds.
crows have a special significance for hindus. my wife is hindu and she recommended this link
https://vedichealing.com/the-crows-significance-in-indian-mythology/
crows are seen as a go between this world and the spirit world and so during certain rituals regarding ancestors we make an extra a plate of the food we eat and put it out for them before we eat.
we put out water several places for all birds and they are very popular so we keep a watch out for good photo opportunities. the crows have a peculiar behavior of putting rotten food in the water. i have always wondered why. it does deter all the other species of birds from drinking and bathing in the water so we frequently change it. any thoughts?
What a wonderful ritual! I will check out that link tonight, tell you wife I said thank you for recommending it!
There is a restaurant next door to me that always puts out a small plate of food when they open. I think they are Buddhist, which is different, of course, but I wonder if the practice is similar. I am just waiting for the day that the crows discover this plate and eat from it.
Crows like to stay hydrated and also like to soak their food. What is rotten to you might be aged to perfection to them! But they also still appreciate fresh water. Sometimes having two water sources can cut down on the mess, but that could also create a second soaking spot for the crows...
I have seen crows gathering for a dead crow but have not understood what was happening to the extent that you have shown us here. Thank you.
I'm happy to share what I am learning. Always learning, even when it's about difficult things.
I have never seen anything like that. It is heartbreaking.
It is! But also a window into the soul of the crow.
I have watched a crow funeral, they sit in a circle and take turns to visit. However, they did not allow anyone to remove the body until dusk. This was many years ago and still remember this strange event.
You seem to understand this ritual much better.
Terrific entry @corvidae and I found your post to be quite fascinating! Good luck in the contest! 😊
thank you @deerjay!
You're most welcome!
That was a great video. Thanks for sharing it with us. It's amazing how loud crows can be. We had a whole bunch of crows nesting in the forest across the road and they got to be be annoying and loud we couldn't wait for them to move out. After some fireworks from the neighbor who owns that property, they packed their bags and move on.🤪
I'm sorry to hear that. Crows are actually very beneficial to have if you have a farm and keep animals. If you learn their calls you can recognize when different types of predators are around, from raptors to raccoons, coyotes, etc. If you feed the families and bond with them, they will protect your chickens and other small animals. This has been documented on many accounts.
Fireworks can actually traumatize and kill crows and other wildlife.
Crows are an asset to humanity.
But I'm glad you appreciated the video, thank you.
Wow, always learning. Had never heard about crow funerals before; great post!
I'm so glad to spread the word about crows and how amazing they are. Thanks so much for checking out my post! 🖤
My pleasure, always great to learn bird facts. Keep them coming!