Crows - unlucky or just super smart?

Kingdom: Animalia

Family: Corvidae

Genus: Corvus

Crows are species of birds in the genus Corvus, and have a shiny jet black plumage and a high level of intelligence. They are widely regarded as a bad omen, and are often brushed aside as a simple nuisance, rather than recognised for the intelligent animals that they are. They are actually very interesting creatures, but many people do not give them the credit they deserve due to the bad luck associated with them.

What’s so great about them?

They are incredibly intelligent! They have the biggest brain to body ratio among all bird species, with a highly developed forebrain which is associated with intelligence. They are cleverer than parrots, and Bonobo chimpanzees, which makes them the second most intelligent creatures, beaten only by humans! This has given them the name ‘feathered apes’. For example, if a crow is unable to crack a nut, then it puts it on a highway so a vehicle will pass over it and crack it open, and they prefer to put it under smaller vehicles so the kernel is not completely squashed.

Crow meat is edible for humans and is served in Western parts of the globe, and is healthier than other meats such as pork.

They can be used by humans to destroy pests of crops and can form bonds with humans due to their social nature.

They have an excellent memory and can stash food in places, sometimes moving it several times, and remember exactly where it is stored.

They are migratory birds, and gather together in autumn and winter to migrate.

They have a characteristic “cawing” and have developed a sophisticated form of language to communicate with one another. The caws have different meanings at different times and can mimic sounds of other animals. They can also associate different commotions to different events. They also express emotions vocally, such as happiness, anger and sadness.

When another crow is dying, a group of crows flock around it and peck it aggressively to death, which is why a group of crows is called a murder.

Crows mate for life, and after hatching (usually 4-7 eggs) the male and female take it in turns to incubate the eggs. Some of the offspring remain after they developed to assist in co-operative breeding.

They can make tools for food, a behaviour only otherwise shown in apes and humans. The New Caledion crow can develop knife-like tools from stiff leaves and stiff stalks of grass. The crows of Queensland, Australia have learned the skill of grabbing and eating the toxic cane frog. The crows flip the frog at its back and start stabbing its throat with their long and sharp beaks, thus consuming the non-toxic innards.

They can imitate human voice, like parrots. Some have even been taught to recite opera.

So why are they considered to be bad omens?

They are associated with bad omen, death, and dark witchcraft, as well as with the ability to manipulate physical appearances, and magic in general.  It is said that if a black crow lands on a home’s roof, the inhabitants will suffer bad luck or face death. This perhaps comes from a crow’s scavenger personality, which leads to them hanging around human residences, and even places like graveyards. For example, after Hiroshima, there was a famous plague of crows on the city. 

There are different crow superstitions in different places all over the world. In Wales, the idea was that if one crow crossed your path it was bad luck, whereas if two crows crossed your path then it was good luck. They’re also considered good luck if you find one dead on the road. The French had a saying that evil priests became crows, and bad nuns became magpies. In Somerset, England, people used to carry an onion with them for protection from crows. In New England, to see two crows flying together from the left was bad luck. A general superstition was releasing two crows together at a marriage ceremony, and if they flew away together then it would be a long and happy marriage. If the crows separated, the couple would part soon too. Sounds risky to me!

Personally, I think it’s high time that these superstitions were forgotten, and let’s recognise crows for the incredibly intelligent, and sociable, animals that they are. Although I perhaps won’t be saying that if one now crosses my path or lands on the roof of my house…

Are swans aggressive? Or just overprotective dads?

Kingdom: Animalia

Family: Anatidae

Species: Cygnus olor

The mute swan, Cygnus olor, is a species of swan found frequently throughout the UK. It is recognised for its white plumage, orange beak and long neck, and is called 'mute' due to it being less vocal than other swan species. They are some of the heaviest flying birds in the UK and have a  wingspan of up to 2.4 m. They possess an oil-producing gland at the base of their tail and use their bills to spread this oil throughout their feathers to keep them waterproof, which is why they are sometimes seen wiggling about in an odd fashion. They regularly bathe by opening their wings and diving underwater, and then flapping their wings and shaking to dry off. Mute swan sub fossils which are 6000 years old have been found in post-glacial peat beds right here in East Anglia!

However, what mute swans are most well known for is not their looks, or their history with Norfolk, but their attitude. Swans have bit of a rep for being aggressive. Previously, someone has died from drowning as a result of a swan attack, and most people you speak to have stories about someone they know being attacked by a swan. Every day when walking to school when I was in sixth form, I had to walk past 'Asbo' - the well known swan in my home town who everyone knew to stay way from due to numerous attacks. I certainly know that when I was taking these pictures, I was feeling pretty nervous and  remained ready to run upon attack. But is there any truth behind this bad name this species have earned for themselves? Or is Asbo just a bad egg, dirtying the name up for all the others, along with a few others?

The aggressive behaviour is usually displayed in late spring, from April to June, and is done because males are defending their nests to protect their young. They typically hiss and busk (where they flap their wings and curve their neck back), but the danger is apparently overrated and it is a myth that they will break your leg or arm with their wings. However, they will use their wings to attack rather than their beak if you provoke them. The behaviour is primarily for show, as they are not actually that strong, it is simply their size which makes them an intimidating animal. They may be able to harm the elderly or very young, but to an adult? They pose no real threat. The number of reported incidents compared to the number of swans living in the UK means the threat is minimal. To be safe, stand your ground and don't overstep the line into their territory, and you should be safe to go for walks around the UEA broad with no fear.

'Sea' gulls? Not necessarily

Kingdom: Animalia

Family: Laridae

Species: Larus argenatus

 



















The typical noises of a day at the beach: Shrieks of girls being splashed by their little brothers, the whirring of the ice cream van engine, crying overtired children, and the all too familiar sound of the caws of sea gulls. Sea gulls in the UK consist of black-backed gulls and herring gulls (the latter is what I have observed here). They're the nuisance behind every day at the seaside, but they are becoming an even bigger issue away from the shoreline, despite having lived there for so long to be close to the water (they evolved 15 million years ago, so that's very very long!). In 2009 the herring gull was added to the Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern. Red is the highest conservation priority, with urgent action deemed to be necessary to protect the species. One of the main reasons for the falling numbers is that changes to fishing practices in the UK have resulted in food shortages for rural gulls. This has lead to a division of the herring gulls into two groups: urban and rural, and it is urban which are the problem to us.

Numbers of urban sea gulls have quadrupled in the last 15 years, and numbers of attacks on humans have also increased. However, it is humans who are partially to blame for this aggression. People are throwing increased amount of litter on the streets, attracting gulls to urban areas. They also encourage the aggressive behaviour shown by urban sea gulls by feeding them, which leads to attacks on humans with food. The gulls are also attracted to cities as they can nest on the roofs of office blocks and houses (and libraries and lecture theatres...) which means they can avoid predators such as foxes and, as a result, more chicks survive, meaning urban environments are less hostile to the gulls.

The prevalence of urban gulls in cities (or in our case, universities) can be mitigated through actions of individuals. This includes seemingly small things like not littering, and aiming to reduce the amount of organic waste taken to landfill sites. Urban gulls can also be repelled through the actions of governments and local councils who can make public waste bins, domestic and business waste containers, and collection arrangements 'gull-proof'. Gulls may be annoying but they are very intelligent and will find a way to get into wheelie-style bins. Nothing stops them from getting their food! So here we have a conflicting issue - we need to protect the herring gulls but also stop feeding them, as it is causing problems with aggression. Research into management strategies is what is really needed, so the correct precautions can be taken to protect these interesting birds.

The world of a wagtail

Kingdom: Animalia

Family: Motacillidae

Species: Motacilla alba

The pied wagtail is a small, spritely, black and white bird found throughout the UK. The species is partly migratory - it is permanently resident in England, but may spend summer in northern Scotland when it is warmer. Some parts of the population migrate southwards to France, Spain and Morocco during winter. They are pretty common - about 10% of gardens have them as regular visitors, so it's no wonder that they like UEA so much as the place is one massive garden! They are slender, with mostly black upperparts and white underparts. It is often overlooked compared to its more well known garden friends, such as the robin and the blackbird, but in truth these birds are very endearing and sweet.

They are often found near water, although they have been found to nest in urban areas too. They are given their name based on their long-feathered tails which they repeatedly wag up and down (not very imaginative, I know). No one knows why they do it exactly, but it fits in with their restless nature which is what enables them to be such effective predators of insects, such as caterpillars, flies and worms. They feed on particularly small ones, which other larger, birds usually look over. The wagtails dart about, and if they are in a natural environment where something is fast moving, such as by a stream, it makes them quite tricky to spot. They combine quick scurrying around on the ground with twisting flight patterns. However, in the open area by Nelson Court, they do stand out - although are still tricky to get a decent picture of!

They tend to nest in reef beds, holes or crevices of buildings, or dense bushes, as they keep their nests warm and defends them from ground predators. In their nests they lay three to eight eggs at a time, which both sexes incubate for 11 to 16 days. They are very social birds and flock together to share their warmth and feel safer as it acts as an information exchange; the birds who have difficulty finding food can follow the ones who know their way around. It also means more eyes to watch out for predators. On a winter evening, the wagtails are known to take part in an unusual social activity, where they gather together in enormous, noisy roosts - up to hundreds of them on one roof in a shopping mall or industrial estate, to gain further protection from predators overnight.

Although they are sociable, the males can be very territorial, and take up a position on a tiled roof and chase away intruders with a twisting, acrobatic flight, letting out a harsh and urgent flight call to keep predators away. If a bird sees its own reflection in a mirror or in a car window, it may attack it - and get a sore head by doing so. It is usually not a very vocal bird, but can be heard to be singing out a shrill, clear and happy chirp from perches or close to the nest. 

These sweet little birds have been declining since the 1970s due to degradation and habitat loss, but luckily the species is able to adapt fairly well, but is not classed as threatened, and is of least concern. This is reassuring, as I don't want to say goodbye to these little fellows any time soon.

Some very blurry photos of some very fidgety wagtails!!