A dead crow...

hels · #1 (**permalink**) 13-10-2011, 02:02 PM

So yesterday I saw something I had never seen before.
A dead crow stuck in a tree. Looking through my bins, it was near the end of a fairly flimsy branch, not really being held up by any other branches, it had one foot wrapped around the branch (my guess that it had been perched there when it died?) it was hanging upside down, not supported up there in any other way. It looked fairly...well, intact!

I couldn't get a pic as it was too far away, but I was curious as to whether any one could suggest how it managed to cling onto a perch like that. Would it be safe to assume it was roosting which is why the foot didn't relax as it died?

htcdude · #2 (**permalink**) 13-10-2011, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hels

it was hanging upside down, not supported up there in any other way. It looked fairly...well, intact!

Sure it wasn't a bat?

Nige

RoyW · #3 (**permalink**) 13-10-2011, 02:30 PM

perhaps it had ended up tied to the branch (by discarded fishing line or something similar). I doubt that the foot would grip the branch strongly enough to keep any bird hanging as described after death without something helping.

hels · #4 (**permalink**) 13-10-2011, 03:11 PM

Lol Nige!! Whilst I freely admit my id skills aren't great, they are definitely not that bad!!!

Roy, that's interesting, I didn't think of that! It didn't make sense to me how he wad stating up there!

AfternoonLemon · #5 (**permalink**) 13-10-2011, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoyW

perhaps it had ended up tied to the branch (by discarded fishing line or something similar). I doubt that the foot would grip the branch strongly enough to keep any bird hanging as described after death without something helping.

Possibly not, but is it not true to say that the mechanism in a bird's claw is the opposite to ours - in that they expend more energy to open it, rather than tighten their grip?

rossy · #6 (**permalink**) 13-10-2011, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hels

So yesterday I saw something I had never seen before.
A dead crow stuck in a tree. Looking through my bins, it was near the end of a fairly flimsy branch, not really being held up by any other branches, it had one foot wrapped around the branch (my guess that it had been perched there when it died?) it was hanging upside down, not supported up there in any other way. It looked fairly...well, intact!

I couldn't get a pic as it was too far away, but I was curious as to whether any one could suggest how it managed to cling onto a perch like that. Would it be safe to assume it was roosting which is why the foot didn't relax as it died?

tend to agree with roy on this one, but another possibilty is that the crow had been shot, be intresting to see if and when you have a windy day.rossy.

Acipiter · #7 (**permalink**) 14-10-2011, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rossy

tend to agree with roy on this one, but another possibilty is that the crow had been shot, be intresting to see if and when you have a windy day.rossy.

That did cross my mind too Rossy, but don't birds fall out of the tree when they have been shot?

rossy · #8 (**permalink**) 14-10-2011, 09:18 AM

yes they normally do accipter, good point, but it could be wedged between branches which are forked upright if you get what i mean, rossy.

hels · #9 (**permalink**) 14-10-2011, 12:37 PM

The crow was definitely not wedged in any branches! All the branches around it were very flimsy, wouldn't have held the crow up!!

Unfortunately it's highly unlikely that I will be able to see it once it falls out, as the tree is on an island in the middle of a very large pond!

Also, it's in a protected area, so I would say it's unlikely to have been shot...although I guess you can never say for sure!