By William Bower |
After some research, I found that birds will face into the wind when sitting on a wire or limb. Scientists say that birds have an easier time taking off and landing when facing into the wind. This takeoff gives the birds immediate lift. A bird has to work harder to get lift when the wind is at its back. This holds true not only for birds in flight but for birds perched in a tree or sitting on the ground. If birds perched with the wind at their backs, their feathers would be ruffled, and on a cold day, this would cause loss of body heat.
On a warm and windless day, birds will be seen sitting every-which way; however, if the wind begins to blow they will be seen facing into the wind.
The caller also asked what prevents a bird from becoming electrocuted when sitting on a wire. If a bird is perched on a single strand of wire, with its two feet on the same wire, the electric could not travel through its body; however, if one of the bird’s feet (or wing) touched a second wire, it would create a closed loop and open a path for the electricity to travel through the bird’s body and kill the bird. Also, if a bird touched a wire while sitting on a wooden pole, it would be fatal. The wooden pole, which is supporting the wire, is buried deep in
the ground, creating a closed loop and opening a path for the electricity to travel through the bird’s body.
A few days later I received a call, with the caller asking “How smart are crows?” My answer to the question is from one of Aesop’s Fables: “A thirsty crow finds a tall pitcher with water in the bottom beyond its reach. The crow drops pebbles into the pitcher to raise the water level and then gets a drink.” This goes to show that even in early times people knew the crow was smart.
Then I found this old children’s nursery rhyme:
A carrion crow sat on an oak,
Singing heigh ho, the carrion crow,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding ho,
Watching a tailor shape his coat.
Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow.
The carrion crow has many connections with Celtic mythology. The Irish Goddess of Battle was represented by the carrion crow, which has long been associated with war and death.
The crow is a remarkable bird, with some even saying that it is our smartest bird. Although man has always considered the crow as its enemy and killed them indiscriminately, the crow has thrived on man's activities.
Crows can be seen year-round in Pennsylvania; however, this does not mean that the same individual birds are present at all times; crows from our state fly as far as the Gulf Coast, while crows from the north remain in our area during the winter months.
Wife, bring me my old bent bow,
Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding ho,
That I may shoot yon carrion crow.
During the summer months, crows eat all kinds of insects, berries, fruits and the eggs of other birds. They also eat garbage and dead animals; hence, the early name of Carrion Crows.
The crow population has grown since the 1960’s. Perhaps this is because they are not hunted as intensely as they once were; breed more readily in towns and cities and lastly, there are a large number of road-killed animals that provide ample food.
Crows are survivors. Almost everyone has seen a crow eating from a road-killed animal. The crow's timing is such that it leaves the dead carcass just before a vehicle arrives; flies overhead in a circle until the car passes and then lands again on the dead animal. Even on our interstate highways the crow is agile enough to avoid being struck by vehicles traveling at speeds of 65 (or faster) miles per hour.
The tailor he shot and missed his
mark,
Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding ho,
And shot his own sow right through the heart.
Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow.
Henry Ward Beecher wrote, "If men wore feathers, very few of them would be clever enough to be crows."