winter bird life - always amazed they can survive

[thistlebloom]

A lot of birds eat carrion, not just the usual scavengers we think of. When food is scarce even little songbirds will occasionally imbibe.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

We are overrun by crows here. I've barely ever seen other types of birds. There were at least 200 all around the fir trees last week. Reminded me of the movie The Birds.

 

[so lucky]

A lot of birds eat carrion, not just the usual scavengers we think of. When food is scarce even little songbirds will occasionally imbibe.

you mean my favorite little bluebirds are CANNIBALS?!

 

[baymule]

I have heavy wire bows I push in the ground and cover with bird netting to keep the dang crows from pulling up my corn seedlings. They will kill every single sprout to eat the kernel.

 

[thistlebloom]

I like crows. We had a pet crow when my kids were young. They're very smart.
He would go down the rows with us and "help" us weed the garden, but I did have to cover the sprouting corn rows with cheesecloth to keep him from eating them. Once they got a little growth he didn't consider them food.

 

[ducks4you]

They are flying into my chicken's run, eating THEIR food, soiling their water and sleeping high up in the coop!!!!!

 

[flowerbug]

you mean my favorite little bluebirds are CANNIBALS?!

the way i've seen them wrestle a large grasshopper they surely might be more than we all think.

 

[flowerbug]

the crows i've been familiar with around here come through on a regular scouting run at about the same time each day (relative to sunrise and/or sunset). if there isn't anything around to eat they don't usually stick around too much. we don't plant sweet corn.

the past month they've been eating off a deer that's been freeze drying in the ditch at the corner. yesterday they were flying back and forth to the trees in the hedge.

i spent a fair amount of the morning just watching the sparkles from the frost melt off the trees and the blue sky and sunshine. the crows weren't around until later.

don't get me talking about grackles... *sigh*