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--Boundary_(ID_Xh07c+dkOQ0qiDfANQtwfQ) Content-type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; format=flowed; delsp=yes Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable Recently I noticed in our yard two or three crows which attracted my =20 attention because of their very handsome appearance: they seemed more =20= iridescent-bluish than usual. As I watched, I noted that they were =20 peacefully mingling with the Mallards and Black Ducks. These crows =20 did not show alarm at my presence, like the usual "gangs" of crows =20 which have frequented the area. One of the "new crows" flew up and =20 landed on the railing of our veranda within a few meters of me. I got out my camera, and carried it with me while taking a bucket of =20 compost to the green bin, and one of these crows allowed me to pass =20 very close on the driveway, where he was engrossed in prospecting for =20= food with an intense, but calm seriousness. I have posted a picture of this corvid here: = http://idisk.mac.com/docbnj//Public/Corvus=20 cf. ossifragus.jpg I would appreciate it if any crow-enthusiasts would check to see if =20 you sympathize with my conclusion that these are Fish Crows. Here is what I am marking: This crow has a shorter tarsometatarsus (see Darling & Darling, 1962, =20= Bird, p. 136), which is a feature distinguishing the Fish Crow =20 (according to Sibley, 2000, p. 361). The feathers on the neck are silky in appearance. The tail and wingtips are proportionally long. The tip of the beak has a downturned hook, more pronounced than in the =20= common American Crow, as noted and illustrated at this site: = http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/FishCrow.htm The behaviour is calm and almost tame (as noted in Tufts, 1986, Birds =20= of Nova Scotia, p. 302, citing observations of C. and N. Bell). By =20 contrast, the usual crow gangs in this area give alarm calls at the =20 first sight of a human, form mobbing details, and are generally ill-=20 mannered and disruptive of the public peace. Although sight observations are tricky in distinguishing the fish =20 crow, a really good photograph (like mine!) should be almost as good =20 as a specimen in hand, and is certainly preferable from the bird's =20 point-of-view. I also read that the Fish Crow has a much better resistance to West =20 Nile Virus than does the American Crow, although no reference for this =20= is given at the Wikipedia site (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/=20 Fish_Crow). The disease resistance might explain the reportedly =20 northward-expanding range of the fish crow. Nonetheless, we have both =20= types here in Seabright (on St. Margaret's Bay), Halifax RM. =97 Paul S. Boyer --Boundary_(ID_Xh07c+dkOQ0qiDfANQtwfQ) Content-type: text/html; charset=WINDOWS-1252 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable <html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; = -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Recently I noticed in our yard = two or three crows which attracted my attention because of their very = handsome appearance: they seemed more iridescent-bluish than usual. = As I watched, I noted that they were peacefully mingling with the = Mallards and Black Ducks. These crows did not show alarm at my = presence, like the usual "gangs" of crows which have frequented the = area. One of the "new crows" flew up and landed on the railing of = our veranda within a few meters of me.<div><br></div><div>I got out my = camera, and carried it with me while taking a bucket of compost to the = green bin, and one of these crows allowed me to pass very close on the = driveway, where he was engrossed in prospecting for food with an = intense, but calm seriousness.</div><div><br></div><div>I have posted a = picture of this corvid here: <a = href=3D"http://idisk.mac.com/docbnj//Public/Corvus">http://idisk.mac.com/d= ocbnj//Public/Corvus</a> cf. ossifragus.jpg</div><div><br></div><div>I = would appreciate it if any crow-enthusiasts would check to see if you = sympathize with my conclusion that these are Fish = Crows.</div><div><br></div><div>Here is what I am = marking:</div><div><br></div><div>This crow has a <b>shorter = tarsometatarsus</b> (see Darling & Darling, 1962, <i>Bird</i>, p. = 136), which is a feature distinguishing the Fish Crow (according to = Sibley, 2000, p. 361).</div><div>The feathers on the neck are silky in = appearance.</div><div><br></div><div><b>The tail and wingtips</b> are = proportionally long.</div><div><br></div><div><b>The tip of the beak</b> = has a downturned hook, more pronounced than in the common American Crow, = as noted and illustrated at this site: <a = href=3D"http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/FishCrow.htm">http://www.birds.= cornell.edu/crows/FishCrow.htm</a></div><div><br></div><div><b>The = behaviour</b> is calm and almost tame (as noted in Tufts, = 1986, <i>Birds of Nova Scotia</i>, p. 302, citing observations of = C. and N. Bell). By contrast, the usual crow gangs in this area = give alarm calls at the first sight of a human, form mobbing details, = and are generally ill-mannered and disruptive of the public = peace.</div><div><br></div><div>Although sight observations are tricky = in distinguishing the fish crow, a really good photograph (like mine!) = should be almost as good as a specimen in hand, and is certainly = preferable from the bird's point-of-view.</div><div><br></div><div>I = also read that the Fish Crow has a much better resistance to West Nile = Virus than does the American Crow, although no reference for this is = given at the Wikipedia site (<a = href=3D"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_Crow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wi= ki/Fish_Crow</a>). The disease resistance might explain the = reportedly northward-expanding range of the fish crow. = Nonetheless, we have both types here in Seabright (on St. = Margaret's Bay), Halifax RM.</div><div><br></div><div>=97 Paul S. = Boyer</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></b= ody></html>= --Boundary_(ID_Xh07c+dkOQ0qiDfANQtwfQ)--
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