Why did my crows die?

[Gaina]

I opened my bedroom curtains this morning and was confronted with the very distressing sight of two dead crows.






On closer inspection they appear to be one adult and one juvenile Rook. There are no marks on the body or head and the feathers have not been damaged. Does anyone have any ideas why they might have died? There's a Rook sitting on the telephone wires above the two bodies right now making a real din and I suspect it may be the mate of the dead adult and it's heartbreaking. Are rooks monogamous?

Oddly enough this telephone line is usually chocker with crows of various types but I have only seen on or two at most today which is odd.

I know my neighbours use rat poison, so I was wondering if they may have been accidentally poisoned because as you can see the adult has a full beak so I suspect she was feeding the youngster when they died.

If anyone can help me make sense of this awful event I'd appreciate it.

[RobinP]

I doubt they would drop dead in mid-feed, could they have been shot with an air-gun?

[shei111]

Well im sorry that you were awoken to that sight of 2 dead birds, im wondering whether it maybe magpies because about here even birds larger than magpies have been killed by them , we have a lot of rooks and carion crows constantly being chased an attacked by magpies, years ago farmers use to shoot the magpies pity they stopped probaly the reason why we have so many of them now, and they are wiping out so many of our garden birds this year too. sheila

[Kayleigh]

I think you can rule out rat poison, like robin said they would NOT just fall out the air with food in its beak.

I don't like rat poison there are better ways of disposing of rats.

[kielder]

Think it might be a case of being shot! like Robin thinks

[Gaina]

Thanks for the suggestions. Mum said she heard shooting last night but that was a few fields away. Anyway that was the first thing I looked for but they are absolutely pristine, no sign of trauma at all. They were sitting on the wire, so I briefly considered electrocution but surely other birds would have died if they touched the wire or sat on the pole?

As I say the bodies have no visible sights of injury or trauma, but I there is one neighbour who definitely has an air gun and uses it, so what should I look for?

[kielder]

Found this:

"Airguns may be used to control destructive rodents and birds such as Norway rats, English sparrows, crows, European starlings, and feral Old World pigeons."

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by kielder

Found this:

"Airguns may be used to control destructive rodents and birds such as Norway rats, English sparrows, crows, European starlings, and feral Old World pigeons."

Is this UK law.

I think you find you are NOT allowed to shoot sparrows in this country.

[Coley]

HM51? Go wash your hands!

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by Coley

HM51? Go wash your hands!

Urm H5N1