The hanging crow mystery

[Hedge Witch]

How does something like this:


become something like this:



Hanging 40 m high in the middle of a wooded area from a dead branch and absolutely impossible to reach

[Adam Cheeseman]

Hi H,
The only thing I can suggest is that it has some foreign object around its leg that has got caught around the branch when it perched up. I have seen this several times with Feral Pigeon, Blackbird, and Magpie. In every case it involved fishing line tangled around the legs. Bird tries to fly away, can't, ends up dangling until it expires.

Cheers,

Adam

[HanDiiMaNz]

Originally Posted by Adam Cheeseman

Hi H,
The only thing I can suggest is that it has some foreign object around its leg that has got caught around the branch when it perched up. I have seen this several times with Feral Pigeon, Blackbird, and Magpie. In every case it involved fishing line tangled around the legs. Bird tries to fly away, can't, ends up dangling until it expires.

Cheers,

Adam

Fishing is okay, to an extent. But if your going to leave line out and especially at long lengths it's just not on.

[Jenny W]

Could have been shot and died up in the tree or hung up deliberately, I've seen this loads of times - is that definitely something round it's legs?

[ron1863]

Possibly caught by a bird of prey. It looks like it's hanging from it's legs though.

[The Woodman]

It might not be fishing line of course but some other material wrapped round its legs that has caught onto the tree.

With respect, I cannot imagine anyone climbing 40 metres to display a crow that they've shot.

Coincidently, I found a swift on the ground in the village last night, unable to fly due to being wrapped in a couple of turns of an orange bin bag tie. We don't use those in this area anymore and I wonder if the poor bird has been dragging it around for a while before becoming flightless after that fateful last turn.

A quick disentangle and it was away from the hand.

[Hedge Witch]

I think I'm going to go with Adam's suggestion. This wooded area was near to a large complex of fishing lakes. I was scanning the photo for evidence of something tied round the birds legs, but you can't see line at this resolution. Obvious when you think about it.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

Poor blummin' bird, what a way to die

[Cheryl]

Originally Posted by Hedge Witch

Poor blummin' bird, what a way to die

No, not very nice

A couple of years ago I had one of those feeders made from a hollowed out log with holes in for fat balls - I went to clean/refill it one day and found a dead starling in it - it had obviously got in and couldn't get out - I felt dreadful about it

The feeder went in the bin and I wouldn't use that kind again.

[Hedge Witch]

Sorry Cheryl, I have a fair idea how bad you feel
You'd think they'd check they were safe before selling them!

[ellen h]

Maybe its claw wedged in a crevice in the branch and as it tried to take off it ended up hanging by its claw? Unable to free itself........
ellen