MUSTER ..... Would that be only used among us locals?
Jae > On Mar 4, 2014, at 11:02 AM, Linda Orkin <[email protected]> wrote: > > Sue, thanks for enjoying the list and for being so eager to learn. All of us > who admire, respect and enjoy crows are trying to retire the collective noun > of "murder" as it can either imply that crows are evil or that they should be > murdered. Another term could be Congress of crows (which in this day and age > can also be pejorative) or can also be a Muster. Which would seem > appropriate especially at this time of year as they gather or when they all > raucously mob a Great-horned Owl. I like Muster, the definition is apropos. > > Keep watching!!! > > Linda Orkin > Ithaca, NY > > >> On Tue, Mar 4, 2014 at 10:52 AM, Sue Rakow <[email protected]> wrote: >> This is very helpful information! Thank you so much for the complete >> picture. I am learning so much from being on this list serve. I am very >> grateful! >> Sue Rakow >> >> >>> On Tue, Mar 4, 2014 at 8:26 AM, Anne Clark <[email protected]> wrote: >>> These groups are "winter roosts", and they are nothing new in crow life. >>> Despite what urban residents sometimes think, crows didn't start gathering >>> when we set out cities for them to use. Roosting in groups at any time of >>> year may offer safety in numbers from night predators, such as Great Horned >>> Owls. >>> >>> In winter, birds living in northern areas that usually have constant snow >>> cover for months do migrate south--Canada, areas of New England. Crows >>> don't necessarily have a particular area they migrate TO. They may go as >>> far as an area that is usually ok for foraging, perhaps one that they are >>> familiar with from previous migrations. There they form flocks that are >>> made up of migrants as well as wide-foraging locals. If it gets unusually >>> snowy and cold, they may move further south. (We really don't know much of >>> the repeat migratory routes of individual crows. We do know that birds >>> tagged in Ithaca in winter are then seen on territories in Canada, VT, New >>> Hampshire in summer, and that some birds RAISED in Ithaca have been >>> observed or shot in winter, in such places as Maryland, West VA, and >>> Pennsylvania, as well as in Cortland, Auburn, Geneva) >>> >>> In the winter flocks, birds are foraging in open fields and off familiar >>> areas. During foraging, flocks offer some safety in numbers to detect >>> predators in day (hawks, hunters, whatever). At night the flocks "flock >>> up" still more in places that offer "good roosting sites", which probably >>> includes wind breaks, places from which owls can be detected at night. So >>> they are probably gathering both for safety in numbers and also because >>> they all agree on what makes a good site. Cities may offer fewer >>> predators, but also the lights may allow them to see the predators. >>> Finally roosting in flocks that include birds that have sampled food >>> sources widely may allow birds to find new food sources, perhaps by >>> following the most assured and directed birds leaving the roost. >>> >>> So--Upstate NY has its own crows and is ideally positioned for northern >>> crows--so flocks become big. They like the agricultural fields >>> interspersed with trees and lots of running water sources (which may be >>> important in cold winters)...and we also offer lots of smaller cities, with >>> large groups of lit trees in their downtowns or college campuses. These >>> seem to be attractive. >>> >>> Mid-late March is the start of the breeding season and flocking crows will >>> be returning to their breeding latitudes. Our Ithaca pairs are already >>> calling on territory during daytimes. >>> >>> As I say, some of this story is surmised from the patterns, not pinned down >>> with hard data on individuals! We know what our tagged birds do, when we >>> can follow them. But we would love to have gps data coming in from our >>> birds, such as the snowy owls and golden eagles give their researchers. >>> Bring on the Tiny Tags! >>> >>> Anne >>> >>>> On Mar 4, 2014, at 7:19 AM, Sue Rakow wrote: >>>> >>>> I observed the murder of crows on Sunday evening. It was stunning. I would >>>> like to know more about why they gather in such large groups. Are they on >>>> the move or are they local? Can anyone help me understand? >>>> Thanks. >>>> Sue Rakow >>>> -- >>>> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >>>> Welcome and Basics >>>> Rules and Information >>>> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >>>> Archives: >>>> The Mail Archive >>>> Surfbirds >>>> BirdingOnThe.Net >>>> Please submit your observations to eBird! >>>> -- >> >> -- >> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >> Welcome and Basics >> Rules and Information >> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >> Archives: >> The Mail Archive >> Surfbirds >> BirdingOnThe.Net >> Please submit your observations to eBird! >> -- > > > > -- > Don't ask what your bird club can do for you, ask what you can do for your > bird club!! <')_,/ > > -- > Cayugabirds-L List Info: > Welcome and Basics > Rules and Information > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > Archives: > The Mail Archive > Surfbirds > BirdingOnThe.Net > Please submit your observations to eBird! > -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
