The friendly crow

[big Neil]

It's a long time since I've been fishing but yesterday presented me with a window of a few hours. I really needed to get some fresh air and to see how the river was looking, given that it has been really bad for ages now.

I chucked the gear in the car and headed out to a remote area where a creek runs out of the river. I wasn't surprised to see that the river and creek were still very low with weed all along the edges. Although the water itself looked clear the entire area still looks sick. No flow in the water so I knew I was in for a hard time catching something. At least I was out in the environment which I love so I set about fishing with low expectations. I have always enjoyed float fishing. The thrill of seeing the float react to what the fish is doing beneath the water is always exciting. I set up one rod with worms which had survived for about 10 weeks since I last used them and the other with cheese on a paternoster rig. 

There are several resident crows, magpies, kookaburras and butcher birds in this area and I often enjoy watching the various ways that they go about competing for the available food. The tranquility of the area is often only broken by the squabbling between the different species, but by and large they know their place in the hierarchy of nature and play nicely.

The float bobbed. "A bite?" It bobbed again and we had a genuine enquiry. Located mid - water, adjacent to a weed bed, the float started to move downstream in the still water and I enjoyed knowing that the fish was about to get hooked. I struck and we were on. Not a big fish but the first for ages. I got it to the edge of the water and dragged a small Carp of 23 cms up the steep bank. After dispatching it with the hammer I threw it behind me to be dealt with later. I rebaited and cast in the same area. Nothing on the other rod (cheese) so I put some fresh shrimps on the paternoster rig and lobbed in adjacent to the weed bed near the far bank. I became aware of something rustling behind me and my first thought was SNAKE. I slowly turned round to see a very large Crow eating the eyes from the dead Carp. I knew they did this from previous experience. I continued to watch this bird selectively picking away at the freshly killed Carp. It wasn't concerned that I was watching it from a few metres away. I was relieved that it wasn't a snake! I returned my attention to fishing and left the crow doing its thing behind me. 

It was a glorious afternoon to be sitting by the creek fishing. The crow was walking around, cleaning its beak on various selected twigs and picking up the odd ant that it spotted. It appeared to be unconcerned by my watching it so I offered it a small piece of cheese which it scoffed in a second. What developed then was a short period of testing...how close would it come to get some food? Very close! At one stage it was standing right next to my little bait esky and even cocked its head in to have a look inside when I opened it. I gave it a few more pieces of cheese and it wandered around me quite happy with itself. The tranquil setting was disturbed by another bite on the paternoster rig with the live shrimps and this resulted in a chunky Carp of about 45 cms. The crow could hardly wait to get at it and immediately ate the eyes. I stayed for another half hour but no more bites. I tidied up my gear into the car and headed for home. It will be interesting to see the interaction with the crow next time I manage to get back there.

bn

[frankS]

Neil. You may have made a new life time friend mate!!. Good read and a nice touch .

As you know I have several native birds come and visit me in my back yard. Now I have a Thrush Coocoo that has become quiet friendly, visits now and again and lets me get pretty close to him/her, will try and get a photo next time he visits. He likes the berries from the Curry tree we have.

PS as I type the 3 magpies are calling me to feed them.

Frank 

Edited April 23, 2020 by frankS

[big Neil]

2 hours ago, frankS said:

Neil. You may have made a new life time friend mate!!. Good read and a nice touch .

As you know I have several native birds come and visit me in my back yard. Now I have a Thrush Coocoo that has become quiet friendly, visits now and again and lets me get pretty close to him/her, will try and get a photo next time he visits. He likes the berries from the Curry tree we have.

PS as I type the 3 magpies are calling me to feed them.

Frank 

Yep your backyard is like a zoo compared to mine...too many neighbourhood cats around. Hope that ur keep up the woodworking. I'm nearly out of pottery supplies and can't get out to get any at present. No worries, best safe than sorry. Cheers mate, Neil.

[Rebel]

Great Story.

[wazatherfisherman]

Hi Neil great story! Glad you got out and got a couple of fish, Carp fight long on light tackle. 

Hope you get to see the crow again soon

Regards Waza

[Yowie]

Many years ago, my son was a Scout, and the parents were invited for a night of camping (some bush location, forget where now)

We all headed off for a hike up a mountain, stopped at the top for lunch and a break. As I opened my sandwiches - I was sitting on a small rock - several currawongs flew over to me and I hand fed them pieces of sandwich. 

A crow saw the action and flew over to me, but was a bit hesitant at first. The currawongs moved back a little bit and the crow eventually hopped over to me and took a piece of bread from my hand, then flew off. The currawongs moved back to me to continue feeding. First time I have ever had a crow hand feed, they usually keep a bit of distance, unlike magpies, currawongs, lorrikeets, kookaburras.

[Ryder]

Hi Neil 

I'm glad you got out to commune with nature and pursue the passion. I wouldn't be surprised if he turns next time, he probably enjoyed the  experience too, and if  like a Magpie he might recognise his mate.

I have heard of them opening backpacks and ripping into bags of chips. I've seen them surgically remove the eyes of blackfish in a shallow keeper net. 

 

[kingie chaser]

27 minutes ago, Ryder said:

I have heard of them opening backpacks and ripping into bags of chips. I've seen them surgically remove the eyes of blackfish in a shallow keeper net. 

Bush seagulls is what I call them!

[jordy]

Great story Big Neil. Crows can be be quite determined saw one a few years ago in a rail yard locked in a long and ferocious battle with a massive rat the crow prevailed.

[big Neil]

I've always wondered why they eat the eyes out of things first. Anybody have any theories? bn

[Volitan]

24 minutes ago, big Neil said:

I've always wondered why they eat the eyes out of things first. Anybody have any theories? bn

Nice story for the morning. Around here all the crows are wary, never seen one come close.

 

Crows’ beaks have evolved for stabbing and manipulating objects. There is little power in the neck muscles and the beaks are not designed for ripping flesh. Thus it is difficult for them to rip into a fish, the skin and scales are too tough. The eyes however are soft and easily removed. Eyes are not very nutritious, but little effort is required to remove them.

Compare this to a raptor like a hawk or eagle. Their beaks and neck muscles are very powerful. Their beaks have a sharp hook on the end for penetrating flesh, and the sharp edges of the beak are very efficient shearing surfaces. Thus they can easily open up a carcass.

Usually, a crow will wait for another animal such as a hawk to open a carcass, then it can feed on the muscle and viscera.

[Blackfish]

Geeez you paint a great picture Neil of Tranquility and the Australian bush.

Great story, thanks for writing.

[big Neil]

21 hours ago, Volitan said:

Nice story for the morning. Around here all the crows are wary, never seen one come close.

 

Crows’ beaks have evolved for stabbing and manipulating objects. There is little power in the neck muscles and the beaks are not designed for ripping flesh. Thus it is difficult for them to rip into a fish, the skin and scales are too tough. The eyes however are soft and easily removed. Eyes are not very nutritious, but little effort is required to remove them.

Compare this to a raptor like a hawk or eagle. Their beaks and neck muscles are very powerful. Their beaks have a sharp hook on the end for penetrating flesh, and the sharp edges of the beak are very efficient shearing surfaces. Thus they can easily open up a carcass.

Usually, a crow will wait for another animal such as a hawk to open a carcass, then it can feed on the muscle and viscera.

Many thanks for the information on Crows, Volitan. Reading your explanation I was reminded of the time where I saw some kind of Hawk dissecting a Crested Pigeon in my back yard. It started off by turning its head side on and ripping clumps of feathers from the luckless bird. Once the flesh was exposed it set about tearing chunks off the pigeon and eating them. Within 10 - 15 minutes it had completely devoured the Pigeon and there was a residue of feathers and stuff left. Quite an interesting spectacle. Cheers, bn