[va-bird] Re: Crow predation

Dave Davis & other readers,

I am not aware that West Nile Virus is the predominant reason for crow 
population decrease in the Northern Virginia area.  It is well-known that 
Fairfax County over a 3 year period has performed mass killings at winter crow 
roosts inside the beltway.  It can be argued that these actions appear to be 
having a measureable effect.  CBC counts of crows in the northern Virginia area 
have shown a marked decrease in crow numbers which seem to be beyond normal 
statistical fluctuation.  Also, for the first time in nearly 8 years, the Dyke 
Marsh breeding bird survey this year did not confirm any crow nests at that 
location.  Additionally, crow numbers have also been greatly reduced on the BBS 
route for Prince William Co Forest Park this year in comparison to previous 
years,  suggesting that the winter Fairfax Co. killings extend well beyond the 
borders of Fairfax County.  

It is not my intention to pass judgement on the predatory (or not) habits of 
these birds, as I am only trying to convey the idea that the current trends in 
the crow population density in this area may be directly tied to the habits of 
the human elements that live in that same area.  

Oh! - I should add that the crows have no real defense against those elements.

Kurt Gaskill

In a message dated 6/29/2004 9:06:38 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
Birdconsv@xxxxxxx writes:

>Today I witnessed several American Crows killing then eating a juvenile
>robin. With 50-plus years of nature observation, this is the first time I've 
>seen
>crows do this. I know they take eggs and nestlings, but this was a bird that
>could fly and was foraging on its own. It and 2 siblings have been around our
>house for the last week, often accompanied by their parents.  I had read
>somewhere that urban crows might be partly to blame for the steep decline in
>nighthawks in many American cities, and given their other recent adaptations 
>to urban
>living I wonder if this is the beginning of a new chapter of crow-as-raptor.
>I hope not as our native birds already have enough trouble surviving in the
>urban environment. If it is, it might not be such a bad thing that WNV is 
>taking
>the crows down a notch or two.  Only time will tell.  Have others seen crows
>killing birds that are not dependent fledglings?
>I enjoyed the cuckoo exchange too. I've seen Yellow-bills feeding a cowbird
>chick, but not the reverse.
>
>Dave Davis
>Arlington
>
>PS. I get these messages in digest mode. Is there some way that I can avoid
>getting all of the redundant text that apparently results from people copying
>and retransmitting the original message ?  Thanks.
>
>
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