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The Bar => The Lounge => Topic started by: bijou on June 14, 2011, 09:24:17 AM

Title: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: bijou on June 14, 2011, 09:24:17 AM
Quote
In a scene that's equal parts Hitchcock and Assault on Precinct 13, aggressive, territorial crows near an Everett, Washington police station have singled out officers for divebomb attacks. How come? The antsy crows are defending their newly airborne chicks.

Says State Fish and Wildlife Department biologist Ruth Milner, "If your cops have done something that (the crows) perceive as a threat, they could be keying in on them because they're all wearing the same kind of uniform." Milner advises that the police shield themselves with umbrellas until the crows — which one officer claimed are "like velociraptors" — quit swooping.
Why yes they will peck your eyes out as soon as look at you. (http://io9.com/5811292/murder-of-crows-gets-into-turf-war-with-police-officers)
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: FreeBorn on June 14, 2011, 10:09:36 AM
Ptarmigans in crow's clothing!

Don't be fooled.  :runaway:
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: BlueStateSaint on June 14, 2011, 10:14:59 AM
I'm having problems with crows now in my garden.  Since the garden on my church's property, it's somewhat difficult to kill the crows.  Enter Hissy--the rubber snake I bought to stand guard.  4' long, when coiled up, it looks as if it's ready to strike.  Crows stay the Hell away.  Deer, OTOH, don't. 
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: Eupher on June 14, 2011, 11:13:42 AM
I hope the cops can run that gauntlet with something more than a wing and a prayer.
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: thundley4 on June 14, 2011, 11:35:09 AM
Quote
"If your cops have done something that (the crows) perceive as a threat, they could be keying in on them because they're all wearing the same kind of uniform."

BS, there was a study done not too long ago that birds can tell the difference between individuals even when they are dressed the same.  More likely that there are nests or young birds which are being protected, and it wouldn't just be the cops being targeted, but everyone.
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: Eupher on June 14, 2011, 12:00:45 PM
BS, there was a study done not too long ago that birds can tell the difference between individuals even when they are dressed the same.  More likely that there are nests or young birds which are being protected, and it wouldn't just be the cops being targeted, but everyone.

Crows, especially, are very, very smart birds. Magpies as well (actually, they're related in the bird world) - corvidae.
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: bijou on June 14, 2011, 12:06:52 PM
I hope the cops can run that gauntlet with something more than a wing and a prayer.
I guess you think that the quality of that pun puts a feather in your cap.
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: Eupher on June 14, 2011, 12:14:48 PM
I guess you think that the quality of that pun puts a feather in your cap.

Well, now that you mention it, I'll just sit back and preen.  :-)
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: Gina on June 14, 2011, 12:26:02 PM
Well, now that you mention it, I'll just sit back and preen.  :-)

this thread is for the birds
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: bijou on June 14, 2011, 12:30:38 PM
this thread is for the birds
  And that's the honest truth.
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: bijou on June 14, 2011, 12:31:36 PM
Well, now that you mention it, I'll just sit back and preen.  :-)
Hmm, I really shouldn't be egging you on like that.
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: FreeBorn on June 14, 2011, 12:56:15 PM
Crows, especially, are very, very smart birds. Magpies as well (actually, they're related in the bird world) - corvidae.
I'll second that 'Euph. Very smart indeed, to a point.

I didn't believe what I was told until I saw it with my own eyes. A friend of mine told me a pair of crows were outsmarting his neighbor's rottweiler which is kept in a chain link dog run. One crow would land just outside the fence and keep the rott's attention. The dog went nuts barking at the crow on the ground while the second crow waiting on the roof just overhead would alight on the top of the gate and pull the clothespin up from the hasp, causing the gate to swing open. Suddenly the dog didn't care about the crows and would just run off down the street. Then the crows chowed down on the dog food inside the run. Pretty slick. That takes smarts.

Then again maybe they aren't so smart after all. Another friend of mine hunts crows a lot, apart from beer and football crow hunting is his favorite pastime. His approach is simple. He takes a red teddy bear and throws it up into a tree. Then a few hoots on an owl call and it doesn't take long. Pretty soon all the trees nearby are full of crows cawing their heads off and swooping at the teddy bear. Two of us blazing away with shotguns and crows dropping left and right but they don't stop with the frenzy. Unreal. Black feathers drifting down all over like snow falling and they are captivated with attacking the teddy bear.

So who knows? I've witnessed the dog food caper and was totally impressed but slaying them by the dozen doesn't make them wise up. Maybe they're democrats?  :mental:
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: Eupher on June 14, 2011, 01:28:20 PM
Hmm, I really shouldn't be egging you on like that.

That's true, because I'm afraid I've about pbeaked.

But all it takes is a running leap and I'm back in flight.
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: Eupher on June 14, 2011, 01:32:37 PM
We've got a crop of punsters on this thread.
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: BlueStateSaint on June 14, 2011, 01:36:21 PM
We've got a crop of punsters on this thread.

Crop, crap, . . . it's all the same. :tongue:
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: bijou on June 14, 2011, 01:57:58 PM
I'm sure some eagle eyed posters will spot another pun somewhere.
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: Eupher on June 14, 2011, 02:14:58 PM
Well, they said the do-do was extinct, but I dunno.............. :-)

And I fear with that one, I'll follow the lemmings over the cliff just like I should....... :rotf:
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: Gina on June 14, 2011, 04:31:34 PM
That's true, because I'm afraid I've about pbeaked.

But all it takes is a running leap and I'm back in flight.

sometimes you make my heart soar :wink:
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: Eupher on June 14, 2011, 06:33:23 PM
sometimes you make my heart soar :wink:

Gina, sorry to break it to you, but it's probably gas.

But I got it. You're down, baby.  :naughty:
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: WinOne4TheGipper on June 14, 2011, 06:38:41 PM
Hmm, I really shouldn't be egging you on like that.

I thought I'd participate in this thread, but after reading this, I'm just going to get the flock out of here.
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: Eupher on June 14, 2011, 06:41:10 PM
I thought I'd participate in this thread, but after reading this, I'm just going to get the flock out of here.

When you get right down to it, that's the kind of decision that can really clutch a man right where it counts.
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: Thor on June 14, 2011, 09:09:27 PM
A bunch of puns by some really flighty people.......
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: thundley4 on June 14, 2011, 09:32:59 PM
A bunch of puns by some really flighty people.......

Birds of a feather flock together.
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: WinOne4TheGipper on June 14, 2011, 11:04:05 PM
I thought I'd participate in this thread, but after reading this, I'm just going to get the flock out of here.

Damn, a couple of bitch slaps. :banghead:
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: Gina on June 15, 2011, 05:47:04 AM
I thought I'd participate in this thread, but after reading this, I'm just going to get the flock out of here.

Yeh totally going to migrate out of this thread
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: Eupher on June 15, 2011, 07:32:05 PM
Yeh totally going to migrate out of this thread

Yeah, all that migratin' kinda puts a whole new meaning on the term "Bombs Away!....."
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: Gina on June 15, 2011, 08:14:55 PM
Yeah, all that migratin' kinda puts a whole new meaning on the term "Bombs Away!....."

is this something I can tweet about? :lmao:
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: Eupher on June 16, 2011, 06:36:31 AM
is this something I can tweet about? :lmao:

Afraid not, Gina. Springtime/mating season is over. Everybody's been spoken for and the chicks have been hatched.

Like this (be patient for the credits to roll past):

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cJSbWtTia4[/youtube]

This is "Dance of the Chicks in Their Shells" from Mussorsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition".
Title: Re: Murder of crows gets into turf war with police officers
Post by: olde north church on June 16, 2011, 05:11:47 PM
The suspects ...