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

[demicav]

I think shooting is the main possibility. I also have to concur with Kayleigh in that shooting Sparrows is illegal.

[Coley]

Originally Posted by Coley

HM51? Go wash your hands!

Sorry, seriously though, if your neighbours got an air rifle tell the cops. If they got a licence they can keep it but if they are responsable and they don't have one then they will get their butts kicked. That would be justice for the poor birds.

[Coley]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Urm H5N1

Yeah that's it

[kielder]

Originally Posted by demicav

I think shooting is the main possibility. I also have to concur with Kayleigh in that shooting Sparrows is illegal.

Yes, you are right, it is illegal.I forgot to state it was an American site, but just wanted to point out that the crows may well have got killed by an air rifle, just by reading that article.

[kielder]

This is maybe what the neighbours were thinking, if shooting was the case.

[mrs fish]

I suspect shooting,
Can you see a tiny hole anywhere on the bodies ?

An air rifle can easily kill a bird that size.

Poor birds

[mrs fish]

Were they noisy Gaina ? and is there a rookery nearby ?

[Lincs Yellowbelly]

The look like Rooks, could well have been shot

[Gill Catton]

Could it be that the rooks were shot some distance away but your puss cat brought them home?

As I understand it, I think Jay is now off the list of species that can be killed or taken.

I think rooks and most of the other actually can do serious damage to a new sown crop.

[Gaina]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

Could it be that the rooks were shot some distance away but your puss cat brought them home?

As I understand it, I think Jay is now off the list of species that can be killed or taken.

I think rooks and most of the other actually can do serious damage to a new sown crop.

My cat is the biggest wuss on the planet, and a lazy one to boot, so the chance of him tackling one crow is miniscule, and two is 'never!' haha. Dad buried them and we a good chance to inspect the bodies and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the bodies, no wounds at all.

Mrs Fish, yes there's a rookery over the back near the Quarry (I think that's why the Peregrines are so fond of that for their nest site).

I really love crows, and if they had obviously been predated I could accept that but the mystery of why two beautiful, otherwise healthy looking birds should just die like this is upsetting.

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Gaina

My cat is the biggest wuss on the planet, and a lazy one to boot, so the chance of him tackling one crow is miniscule, and two is 'never!' haha. Dad buried them and we a good chance to inspect the bodies and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the bodies, no wounds at all.

Mrs Fish, yes there's a rookery over the back near the Quarry (I think that's why the Peregrines are so fond of that for their nest site).

I really love crows, and if they had obviously been predated I could accept that but the mystery of why two beautiful, otherwise healthy looking birds should just die like this is upsetting.

No i remember your description of your cat (and anyway most corvids are far too intelligent to get caught by a cat) but I wondered if they were dead already that your cat might pretend he caught them and brought them back as presents

[Gaina]

Gill, he brings things to the back door if he does it and they're usually alive (covered in slobber, but very much alive! haha).

I wish I had taken a photo from my bedroom window actually because the two bodies were more or less side-bye-side. I thought they were sunbathing when I first saw them, then realised the angle of the head on the one that turned out to be the juvenile was wrong. I do have a few more photos of that would be helpful, I just didn't want to 'flood' the gallery.

[ollyk]

surely bullets / pellets don't have to enter the body to kill / stun a bird do they?

[lincs lass]

Originally Posted by Coley

Sorry, seriously though, if your neighbours got an air rifle tell the cops. If they got a licence they can keep it but if they are responsable and they don't have one then they will get their butts kicked. That would be justice for the poor birds.

I checked with someone I know (who goes on shoots) and lives on a farm and you need a licence for a shotgun, not an air rifle. Crows, pigeons and magpies are regarded as vermin and can be shot all year round (as can hares & Rabbits) but pheasants, ducks, partridge and grouse can only be shot at a certain time of the year. And they can only be shot at if flying, I think it is at head hight but not too sure.

[kielder]

Hi there, was it a website? if so I am interested in finding out about licenses etc...