Layla and the Crow....

Two days ago I took Layla outside again with a plastic cup containing two E. Distanti roaches. The weather was not the best but I really wanted to get outside for a while. As soon as I sat down at the patio table with Layla on the grapevine branch resting across my lap one of the resident crows flew into my yard.

I've got a group of four or so crows that spend most of the day in my yard. I have bird and squirrel feeders that are meant to feed a wide variety of songbirds, squirrels, chipmunks, etc. The bright yellow finches are my favorite. My yard and pond are designed to give these creatures a place to live. The only unfortunate result of this is that a group of crows seems to have made it their home too.

They spend most of their day in the tall fir trees on our property which affords them a good view of everything going on. They wait until the song birds drop enough bird seed from the feeders to make it worth going below the feeder to pick up the dropped seed. They watch me unpack a cricket order on the patio and they swoop down to get stray crickets after I leave. Occassionally I will hear a big riot of noise after a crow makes off with a baby bird or tries to. A group of adults from whatever the species is (Stellers Jays, Towhees, Robins, Sparrows, etc) will chase the crow around with no good result. Any time I go outside the crows show up within seconds to see what I am doing and then figure out if they can benefit from my activity.

So the other day when I took Layla out with the roaches it was no surprise to see the crow show up right away. But geez, this time it was much more aggressive. It was perched high up in a fir tree and kept making it's Caw, Caw, Caw sounds every time I adjusted my position with Layla. Then it actually flew over my head and did a low level surveillance mission. I instinctively put my body over Layla to protect her. I've never had a crow get that low flying over me. I can't tell whether it was checking Layla out or the two big fat roaches in the plastic container. Either way it really bothered me and it bothered Layla too. This was the first time I've had her outside and she passed up eating roaches.

I've always been very protective of my chams while they are outside. I photograph them on shrubs outside but am always right there next to them. I've got a big heavy duty stainless steel wire bird cage outside that I put plants and branches in. It locks tight and I feel safe having chams in it. Nothing short of a full grown bear could access them in that thing.

I hate the thought that these crows could ruin my personal outside time with Layla. I have so enjoyed it until this last time. I guess I will just have to see what happens with them in the future. If they continue to be this aggressive I just won't continue doing it.

Comments

I had Henry outside on Sunday afternoon. He didn't seem too bothered being out there until a crow flew over. It wasn't even near us but he saw it glide over. He exhaled and tried to turn into a pancake.... kinda hard with his size. After that he remained lightly spotted and watching the sky a bit more. Henry is very shy of everything. He is 6 times bigger than my female veiled and he about has a heart attack when i open her cage to feed her! It is very funny to see his reaction to her.

One time I had Fred outside in a ficus tree and a small bird flew right up next to him on the same branch. He turned, looked at it and started to sway like a leaf or branch and slowly walk away.... the bird sat there for a second and flew off. Fred seemed to be in shock almost like 'what the heck?!?!?'

As far as crows go, its a good thing you have that large cage for your chams.:eek:
 
We have crows, too. I have seen them swoop down at baby bunnies, but haven't seen them actually get one (because the babies take off like a shot out of a cannon!).

One time I got to witness crow mating behavior- watching a male crow bring a stick and place it in front of (what I assume was) a female crow. He flipped it over this way and that, for her critique. When she appeared unimpressed, he flew off and got another one and tried it. I guess that one did the trick. This is how the male crow shows the female he will be a good provider and nest builder for her.

Good job protecting your chams so well, Catherine. I do heartily believe crows could make off with a medium sized chameleon, such as an adult Pardalis, very quickly and easily. I used to think they only picked at lifeless things (of course, a chameleon can look quite lifeless), but when I saw them diving at baby rabbits I knew better.
 
Time to invest in a BB gun. Get one that can be pumped multiple times. 3-4 pumps will not kill but will sting.
Crows are smart, a few pops from the
BB gun and they should learn to clear outa your property, at least wile you are outside. :rolleyes:
 

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