Robbing Rooks

[griffgrouch]

I have two feeding stations, one at rear and one at front. I also have fat squares in trees etc. The stations have small feeders on. I can't stop the Rooks robbing everything; they hang on the pole, I've greased it, they pull the feeders off and drop them on the floor.

Nothing I do can thwart them. I can't afford to keep feeding the Rooks, they empty evreything in 10 minutes. I had to get rid of the trays, they just stood on then and devoured the lot.

Any ideas?

[Adam Cheeseman]

Are you sure they are Rooks, which have whitish faces and thinnish beaks. Sounds more like Jackdaw or Carrion Crow behaviour.

Cheers,

Adam

[~T~]

I think it's just the time of the year. All winter I got tons of songbirds and only got the odd visit from a corvid (and then usually just the odd jackdaw or magpie) but just now it seems to be all that comes to my garden (apart from house sparrows and the odd starling). The jackdaws do as you say and hang on the fatball feeders pecking them to bits and the rooks take any from the ground or table. Short of using the caged type feeders I don't really think theres much you can do. I'm probably going to stop feeding fatballs though as apart from the corvids theres not much interest in them now it's summer.

[griffgrouch]

They are Rooks, no doubt. There's Rookery over the road.

[nightshade]

I have Rooks (and other corvids) visit my feeders, I don't decide which birds I am going to feed and which I am not, I just adjusted my feeding areas.
Crows, Jackdaws, Magpies and Rooks with the occasional Jay are fed in a different part of the garden off a "quick snatch" bird table where they feel comfortable. I still get the odd Jackdaw and Rook on the fat feeder but to a much more acceptable level. I would have your Rookery in a jiffy!

[Gill Catton]

I don't think you really need worry about feeding anything at this time of year really, there are so many invertebrates around. Better to eat natural food where possible I think less risk of disease transfer too (though I know some disagree).

[~T~]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

I don't think you really need worry about feeding anything at this time of year really, there are so many invertebrates around. Better to eat natural food where possible I think less risk of disease transfer too (though I know some disagree).

Yeah I've really just left the sunflower heart feeder up with whats left from winter and I'll take it down once its empty. I really just kept buying the fatballs cos the house sparrows started feeding from them a lot and they need all the help they can get. But I do notice that it tends to be the adults just stop by to get a quick feed for themselves while they feed their young on insects (very clever really).

[griffgrouch]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

I don't think you really need worry about feeding anything at this time of year really, there are so many invertebrates around. Better to eat natural food where possible I think less risk of disease transfer too (though I know some disagree).

Ah Ok, that's worth a secon thought.

[Doggle Avaddit]

Originally Posted by ~T~

Yeah I've really just left the sunflower heart feeder up with whats left from winter and I'll take it down once its empty. I really just kept buying the fatballs cos the house sparrows started feeding from them a lot and they need all the help they can get. But I do notice that it tends to be the adults just stop by to get a quick feed for themselves while they feed their young on insects (very clever really).

Yes, its rather hartening to see that despite mans best eforts to provide limitless quantities of non local (fast or junk?) food, the birds still have the wherewithall to catch and feed their young the natural live food that exists all around them.
Long may this continue I reckon, clever birds indeed.



(Except for that Dunnock I saw today that seemed to be collecting a takeaway breadcrumb Happy Meal for its chicks instead!)