Mystery of dead birds.

[demicav]

Last Spring in Pwllheli, Wales, we came across 12 dead birds, all within quite close proximity of one another. I do have a picture of a body but there wasn't much left and it is quite graphic, therefore I've sent a picture up of a head hoping someone can give me an ID ? I'm pretty sure it's a Corvid, maybe a Rook. I was also wondering if anyone thinks they could have been shot then eaten by predators while they were on the ground ?

[Ukwildlifeo]

Could thay have been poisoned? I bit of poisoned meat mite have that effect and crows are known scavengers

[Pigeon feather]

Hmmm the beak looks too long and curved for any type of corvid, could it possibly be a cormorant? I know they are fish eaters so perhaps they were dispatched by fishermen for eating all the fish

[demicav]

Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo

Could thay have been poisoned? I bit of poisoned meat mite have that effect and crows are known scavengers

Could be a possibility. They were found near the coast but the area backs onto farmland.

[demicav]

Originally Posted by Pigeon feather

Hmmm the beak looks too long and curved for any type of corvid, could it possibly be a cormorant? I know they are fish eaters so perhaps they where dispatched by fishermen for eating all the fish

I've had a good look at the beak and you're right, doesn't look like a Corvid now. It does resemble a Cormorant round the head and beak. Like I say I do have a pic of the whole bird but didn't want to offend anyone by posting it up as they had all been eaten away.

[naturelover]

i thought the beak looked rather long,didnt look like a crow or a rook to me.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Now you say it....

the beak has the 'lump' at the end of the beak, see here:


And being fish eaters theres certainly the motivation to kill them or the potential for a colony to be poisioned intentional or accidently by dodgy fish/waterway. where they near a tree that could be a roost?

[Dan Salter]

anyone fancy a Shag?.... thats what i reckon !

Much less yellow area on the bill and it looks like it lacks the white face patch of the cormorant?

[demicav]

Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo

Now you say it....

the beak has the 'lump' at the end of the beak, see here:


And being fish eaters theres certainly the motivation to kill them or the potential for a colony to be poisioned intentional or accidently by dodgy fish/waterway. where they near a tree that could be a roost?

There were no trees there but plenty of bushes, also heath land.

[Dan Salter]

Shag shag shag...for the reasons i listed above..it also has the longer thinner slender bill of a shag as apposed a cormorant...

So my money goes on a shag !

( ha ha...2 years on WAB and the first time i have used any shag innuendo) lol