So lets begin with one that gave the name to whole family, the crow.
 | |
| Common raven |
Corvus corax - common raven. I don't think many of you saw this one in real, he's quite big bird with average length of 63 centimeters and width (with wings spread) of 1,5 meter. I myself haven't seen one in the wild. It is said that his nose is so tough it is able to break human skull. They are also known of their intelligence which was tested in many ways in laboratories around the world. Here you have one sample of their skills: https://youtu.be/1qSsVBPh9Lo
 | |
| Western jackdaw |
Probably all of you are fimiliar with his lesser cousin: the western jackdaw (Kawka in polish, lat. Coloeus monedula). The common name derives from the word "jack", meaning "small", and "daw", the native English name for the bird. He is a lot smaller fellow with length of 34-39 cm. You will mostly see him in packs of his kind, but not only because they are usually acompanied by rooks.
 | |
| Rook |
Rook (pol. Gawron, lat. Corvus frugilegus) is biggest of those I am writing about measuring 45-47 centimeters often confused with other crow family member - carrion crow (pol. Wrona, lat. Corvus corone).
 | |
| Carrion crow |
If you want to know how to distinct those two you should read this post: http://apoczywaj.pl/rzecz-o-zwierzetach/item/12-kruk-wrona-gawron-czy-kawka
And at last we have got two more colorful members of this family which are also common in Poland:
 | |
| Eurasian jay |
Eurasian jay (pol. Sójka, lat. Garrulus glandarius) which you probably know from polish proverb "Wybierać się jak sójka za morze".
 |
| Common magpie |
Did you know those birds and their names earlier?
Do you think that you will be able to recognise them now?
All photos were taken from wikipedia
Did you know those birds and their names earlier?
ReplyDeleteMore or less. Of course I didn't know the English names before :)
Do you think that you will be able to recognise them now?
I was able to recognize most of them before reading the article.
I also didn't knew their english names earlier and was somehow surpised with to.
DeleteDid you know those birds and their names earlier?
ReplyDeleteI heard only the Polish names of these birds. I've never had nature lessons in English
Do you think that you will be able to recognise them now?
I will try. To remember something well I should read it several times, but now I will have a greater opportunity.
I knew they are a few 'kinds of crow' and I knew some names but I couldn't recognize them. Thanks to you now I will, I hope so. And in the movie you posted, there is description with crow but there is a carrion crow showed instead :D
ReplyDeleteBirds are beautiful creatures and a crow family is also. I head about their inteligence too. I once watched another video where a carrion crow, if I remember well, had a food snack on the bottom of a high glass in a small bucket. The bird had only a straight wire to help the self, because it coudn't reach for the food naturally. It tried to use the wire but this was a fool's errand. Then the bird pulled out the wire, holded it down by leg and bow it making a hook! Then it was easy to pull out the bucket with a tool. It shocked me a lot :D I heard also that some crow can even talk like parrots. Some people even have crows in their homes the same as they have dogs or cats. I would like too :D
Yes you're right - I didn't pay too much attention to specie as I was trying to show just how smart birds from this family are.
DeleteI tought about having one mylsef ome time ago, but didn't decide to take any steps about it.
Did you know those birds and their names earlier?
ReplyDeleteYes, I knew about them earlier (Pica pica always sounds hilarious to me), near my house is many birds, especially a lot of magpies. They are very curious and indeed brave - they constantly dig in my flower pots, but only when everyone went to work. Also, they eat my plants.
Do you think that you will be able to recognise them now?
I can tell them apart, but still have troubles to tell the difference between a rook and carrion crow.
Yes, I think that pica pica i s the best one ;)
DeleteDid you know those birds and their names earlier?
ReplyDeleteNo, I knew that were some kinds of crows but without knowing the names, only know the names of them in Polish.
Do you think that you will be able to recognise them now?
I can try. If not I can always search for them online.
To be honest when I saw that topic I thought you would make a joke about how pack of crows is named- murder. One of the explanations is because a group of crows will sometimes kill a dying crow. Not many people know that.
The Crowfather, with Marlon Brando ;)
DeleteYour topic is very original and it’s hard to meet guys who are interested in birds. It’s very unique and you should stay with it! You must be very original. I’d like to have some opportunity to meet with your in place where there will be a lot of bird and hear some extra stories! I’m not interested in birds, but I like to hear how they sing. It’s very beautiful sound! What is more, my alarm sound is a singing bird so I start everyday with an positive attitude! I know names which you mentioned but It’s only the names for me. I’m not sure if I will be able to recognise birds my myself. I know only pigeons but they are horrible.
ReplyDeleteI think that birds are quite weird hobby.. for a guy ;)
DeleteI think it's because of my father. He has his own homing-pigeon pack and he is breeding them for years, since I remember. Sending them for races, etc.
1. Did you know those birds and their names earlier?
ReplyDelete- Some of them, like raven or crown. I don't have an eye for the birds, so I usually name all of them as 'bird' :)
2. Do you think that you will be able to recognise them now?
- Unfortunately, I think I will still not be able to recognize them. I find it difficult to distinguish them between each other, because the diffrence is not so easy to spot.
Among other birds you've mentioned what interested me the most was a magpie. Over a dozen years ago it was impossible to see this bird in a city. In the past magpies hid among the fields and in barns in order to be away from people. After all, they were persecuted. Other generations of these birds moved to a city. People living in the city don't destroy their nests and above all, they give them a lot of food. It is a very inquisitive bird. It likes learning and discovering new things. I think I will be able to recognize these birds now. A magpie for sure. When it starts provoking a cat or a crow.
ReplyDeleteCities are very good grounds for birds, I think it's because of easy to get food (in garbages mostly).
Delete1. I didn't know the English names of birds before reading the article.
ReplyDelete2. Maybe ;) but the first four birds are very similar to each other.
My last name is also bird ;) in english "finch" in polish "zięba"
Did you play in Pokemon series? Many flying characters have names inspired by real bird names. However I never heard about this fancy names before read your article.
ReplyDeleteNo Pokemons are not my thing
DeleteFirstly I would like to say that I never thought that someone would prepare presentations about birds :D
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I've never interested about it, so that article is new for me.
1. As many people above I also didn't know the English names of that birds.
2. Hahaha. Correctly no. Every black bird is a crow for me.
I'm happy that I could show you something that was new for you.
DeleteDid you know those birds and their names earlier?
ReplyDeleteSome of them yes, I knew magpie, crow, rook, but I haven't seen them on my own, only in books or zoo.
Do you think that you will be able to recognise them now?
I don't think so, not in the real life. Maybe in the book, when I'll have more time to distinct them
I like the topic you chose. :)
ReplyDeleteI know all of the species described above. The western jackdaw I know probably best of all, and it's not my favorite. I see most of them every day. I even saw a crow a few weeks ago in The Tower of London. I can't say it was in the wild, but at least the bird wasn't in a cage.
I usually have a problem with distinguishing the western jackdaw and the carrion crow.
One more thing regarding birds, I can't believe a few days ago I saw a woodpecker at a tree in front of the building I rent a flat in! In Warsaw!
Some woodpeckers visit my neighbourhood every year, so it's not so surprising for me. And jackdaws aren;t my favourite either, I feel them as quite "dirty".
DeleteI am very grateful for your article, because whenever I saw most of these birds I had a problem with naming of a given species. Now I won't have this problem anymore.
ReplyDeleteThis bird family is very intelligent. I recently read about an experiment on magpies. Eurasian magpie passed a mirror test as the first non-mammal animal. Scientists have put red, yellow or black sticker down the throat of five Eurasian magpies, where they could be seen by the bird only by using a mirror. Birds got such a mirror. The feel of the sticker on their throats didn't disturb the magpies. When birds with colored stickers saw themselves in the mirror, they scratched their throats - a clear indication that they recognize the image in the mirror as their own. Those which received a black sticker, invisible on the black neck, didn't react.
As I mentioned crow family members often take part in experiments becaue they are very smart birds. One you've described proves that.
DeleteI did not know the names of some birds before, maybe because, unfortunately, in this respect I am showing some kind of ignorance. Although I think birds are very smart.
ReplyDeleteI am very grateful for the performance and you can recognize them, although I'm not sure if I can recognize them all.