Not my pics … but none the less they’re cool !
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Ornithology
- Thread starter vtgirl
- Start date
St. Phatty
Active member
I want to get some hens the spring … for eggs
vtgirl
Member
Where we live now, we hardly have any trees to block our view. The first few years, we had a family of Northern Harriers that had at least one nest on our property. The first year that we lived here, there was a huge racket that i heard, the noises coming from outdoors, so i watched what was going on. A territorial dispute, evidently, between the Harrier family and a large group of crows. The Harrier family held it's ground, and 'won'. Northern Harriers are a bit different than most of their 'larger family', as the male will often keep multiple hens and nests. Our local male keeps very busy with his three hens.
The crows leave a 'watcher' in the area. An owl that was passing through, got the watcher crow, all we found that was left of him, was black feathers all over the yard. We watched his family come looking for him, they would search the farmyard quite well, one...it just struck me as a female, would even be looing inside the house, as she flew by. They did this for a few days. Then about a month later, a new 'watcher' was seen.
We're happy to have these crows and harriers around. None of these bother the chickens or the racing pigeons. Then we had problems. I've NEVER heard of it before, even asked several old-timers, but three of my pigeons attacked a female harrier, and 'harried' her so badly that she went to ground. So the harriers moved a half mile or so to the north, and don't hunt the yard nearly as much. They are such good hunters of ground squirrels and snakes, that i hated to see them go. (we really don't mind the snakes, as they are non-poisonous,and help control rodents)
There is a prairie falcon that raises hell every year when he/she migrates through. I just have to lock up the racers until it decides to move on. Usually, tho, it manages to snag one of my birds, before i realize that he's here. Occasionally, we have other raptor problems, but not often, even though they have territories that are all around us. I always had the feeling that since the Harriers had their hunting territory here, that it kept the others politely away. Owls are usually only around in winter, and that is when my racers are resting up for the next flying season, safe inside their loft and flypen.
Finally had a family of robins start nesting in the one little tree that we have. Meadowlarks. Lots of swallows, which we like a LOT, but took some time to train them that nesting just over the doors is not an option.
Yup, it's a fun hobby.
The crows leave a 'watcher' in the area. An owl that was passing through, got the watcher crow, all we found that was left of him, was black feathers all over the yard. We watched his family come looking for him, they would search the farmyard quite well, one...it just struck me as a female, would even be looing inside the house, as she flew by. They did this for a few days. Then about a month later, a new 'watcher' was seen.
We're happy to have these crows and harriers around. None of these bother the chickens or the racing pigeons. Then we had problems. I've NEVER heard of it before, even asked several old-timers, but three of my pigeons attacked a female harrier, and 'harried' her so badly that she went to ground. So the harriers moved a half mile or so to the north, and don't hunt the yard nearly as much. They are such good hunters of ground squirrels and snakes, that i hated to see them go. (we really don't mind the snakes, as they are non-poisonous,and help control rodents)
There is a prairie falcon that raises hell every year when he/she migrates through. I just have to lock up the racers until it decides to move on. Usually, tho, it manages to snag one of my birds, before i realize that he's here. Occasionally, we have other raptor problems, but not often, even though they have territories that are all around us. I always had the feeling that since the Harriers had their hunting territory here, that it kept the others politely away. Owls are usually only around in winter, and that is when my racers are resting up for the next flying season, safe inside their loft and flypen.
Finally had a family of robins start nesting in the one little tree that we have. Meadowlarks. Lots of swallows, which we like a LOT, but took some time to train them that nesting just over the doors is not an option.
Yup, it's a fun hobby.
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vtgirl
Member
drove through Arkansas going to & from Louisiana a couple of weeks ago. the fields along the interstate were covered in snows & blues by the thousands. never seen anything remotely like it...damn geese for miles...
44:86N
Active member
“Mammals are not the biggest evolutionary success. Birds are better in everything.”
A lengthy, but excellent article on birds with Superpowers:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/scie...t-resting-180979248/?utm_source=pocket-newtab
A lengthy, but excellent article on birds with Superpowers:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/scie...t-resting-180979248/?utm_source=pocket-newtab
except smelling. they use trained rats to find buried land mines in SE Asia...birds lack the organ that everything else uses to detect odors.
44:86N
Active member
Interesting. Did not know that. I wonder if/how they smell?
Landmine finding rats are awesome. Truly, a great story there.
St. Phatty
Active member
Birds do pretty good, for animals that only have 200 million brain cells.
Cats do pretty good, for animals that have 2 Billion brain cells.
Most humans don't do pretty good, for animals that have 86 Billion brain cells.
As far as Bird taste buds - I think they are specially tuned to find Calcium.
They go nuts for anything with Calcium - wall-board, rotten eggs, etc.
Cats do pretty good, for animals that have 2 Billion brain cells.
Most humans don't do pretty good, for animals that have 86 Billion brain cells.
As far as Bird taste buds - I think they are specially tuned to find Calcium.
They go nuts for anything with Calcium - wall-board, rotten eggs, etc.
Magawa, a rat famous in Cambodia for his mine detecting abilities, recently died at age 8. after training, he found over 100 assorted mines/explosives in his career. a group in Belgium, APOPO, trains the rats, and had awarded Magawa a (very small) gold medal for his 5 years of accomplishments, dubbing him a "Hero Rat".
Raptors are out in force due to the warm weather. Also seeing bluebirds, robins, Carolina Wren, and Horned Larks. The typical cast are at the feeder furiously chowing down during the weather break.
A taste of Spring!
A taste of Spring!
