This is why we hate corvids.

[JDog]

I knew of these pheasant nests a few days ago having watched the hens behaviour. Today i found these empty shells, the contents of which had been sucked out by Carrion crows.

 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Crying shame, that is why they should be shot on sight!

[pigeon controller]

Crying shame, that is why they should be shot on sight!

 

I do my best!!!

[fenboy]

I love nothing better than shooting a carrion crow or magpie for reasons such as this.

[Dougy]

I was sort of wincing before looking,, half expecting to see a photo of a young lamb with its eye's pecked out.

[ShootingEgg]

Have my larsen trap set in the garden as black birds nests are getting attacked

[Paul223]

Shot a ewe the other week, her stomach had been punctured and some of her intestines were out, all done by crows, a right mess, I would have took a picture but to be honest it's not the sort of thing you want to see

[scolopax]

Got to say that the average sheep is not very well designed is it? Maybe the farming community should try selectively breed an animal that can get back up again once it falls over?

[ditchman]

at the moment when im not doing other stuff ......im chasing magpie's out of the garden ...as they are poking about where the nesting birds are...if i had an air rifle i would shoot the damn things ..

[la bala]

The crafty old crows quarter the fields just like a hunting dog would.

[chris1961]

As the saying goes only Good one is a dead one

Edited April 26, 2016 by chris1961

[yod dropper]

Yesterday I saw a crow on the lawn eating something and found two part-formed downy feathers. It was back today and on the way up I saw the yolk and shell of a pigeon egg and on the lawn the remains of a large young bird, it was cleared up later. It'd doubtless been in a big fir where pigeons nest which themselves have pushed out the doves. The crows fight the squirrels but I think the squirrels won out. A couple of years back I watched a magpie stalk, kill and eat a blackbird on the garage roof and also what seemed like the whole area's blackbird population mobbing a magpie that was up to no good, the noise and action was spectacular. Mother, hanging out the washing was hit square on by a pigeon being chased by a sparrowhawk which sometimes we see with small birds but normally pigeons. I like to watch wildlife going about making their living but sometimes these things need trimming out a bit, or a lot.

[Konnie]

I class them as most destructive of predators to wild birds, they will sit in trees watching hen pheasants build or if built leave nests then visit once layed in and eventually empty nest. Often when pigeon or pheasant shooting will take a crow rather than game if the chance occurs.

[old'un]

I class them as most destructive of predators to wild birds, they will sit in trees watching hen pheasants build or if built leave nests then visit once layed in and eventually empty nest. Often when pigeon or pheasant shooting will take a crow rather than game if the chance occurs.

Crows are not as bad as they are made out to be, there are other predators that do far more damage to wildlife (birds).

[sako751sg]

I class them as most destructive of predators to wild birds, they will sit in trees watching hen pheasants build or if built leave nests then visit once layed in and eventually empty nest. Often when pigeon or pheasant shooting will take a crow rather than game if the chance occurs.

 

For sure.

Between them and magpies the damage is shocking over a nesting season.

[Konnie]

Crows are not as bad as they are made out to be, there are other predators that do far more damage to wildlife (birds).

Really several years ago along one of our spinneys I found 70+ egg shell from pigeon, partridge, pheasant, duck, and chicken.

On another occasion 150+ various under a tree while pigeon shooting, things like fox are opportunist and stumble across wild birds crows systematic about clearing nests.

[kent]

All things must have balance. No crows at all means carcasses rotting, disease and lack of food available to the very things they pray upon.

Its unlikely to say the least that we could create a crow free environment but if we could it wouldn't be a good thing

Had a permission years ago were I was asked to leave crows but shoot pigeon. The farmer had a point they did his crop little harm but liked pigeon eggs

[Blunderbuss]

I totally understand the need to control corvids at times, but I never quite get why you would "hate" a wild animal for following its natural instincts. I think crows, magpies, rooks etc are fascinating, adaptable, intelligent creatures. There is no doubt however, that they can be destructive pests during lambing, nesting etc. when it is justifiable to shoot them if they are causing problems. I just don't think anthropomorphic vilification does us any favours.

[old'un]

Really several years ago along one of our spinneys I found 70+ egg shell from pigeon, partridge, pheasant, duck, and chicken.

On another occasion 150+ various under a tree while pigeon shooting, things like fox are opportunist and stumble across wild birds crows systematic about clearing nests.

I am not saying they do not take eggs but crows will spend most of the day on grass fields looking for insects and other invertebrates, with carrion and other scavenged food during the breeding season,

latter in the year it also includes corn and stubble.

One part of the UK that as a high population of crows is Wales and that is mainly grass.

When you drive around where do you see most of the rooks and crows, hunting the hedgerows for nesting birds or on open grass fields?

[nobbyathome]

I totally understand the need to control corvids at times, but I never quite get why you would "hate" a wild animal for following its natural instincts. I think crows, magpies, rooks etc are fascinating, adaptable, intelligent creatures. There is no doubt however, that they can be destructive pests during lambing, nesting etc. when it is justifiable to shoot them if they are causing problems. I just don't think anthropomorphic vilification does us any favours.

+1

I love shooting them when its needed but I would hate to live in a country where we didn't have any corvids

[old'un]

For sure.

Between them and magpies the damage is shocking over a nesting season.

If you want to talk about numbers and damage to birds, crows and magpies are preverbal saints compared to the sparrow hawk.

 

Don't get me wrong I shoot a lot of magpies and crows but my point was there are other predators that do more damage to wildlife.

[JDog]

I totally understand the need to control corvids at times, but I never quite get why you would "hate" a wild animal for following its natural instincts. I think crows, magpies, rooks etc are fascinating, adaptable, intelligent creatures. There is no doubt however, that they can be destructive pests during lambing, nesting etc. when it is justifiable to shoot them if they are causing problems. I just don't think anthropomorphic vilification does us any favours.

 

Your last sentence does not make sense. My hate for corvids is entirely a human emotion. I am not endowing corvids with the same rationale.

[Cranfield]

Lets keep the comments civil, a few posts have been removed.

[Blunderbuss]

Your last sentence does not make sense. My hate for corvids is entirely a human emotion. I am not endowing corvids with the same rationale.

 

The last sentence wasn't directed at you, if I gave that impression it wasn't my intent. It was a more general observation of an occasional trend on this forum for some to imagine that certain species are somehow deliberately cruel, calculating or or otherwise motivated by human style emotions. I still don't understand the "hate" bit, but each to their own

Edited April 27, 2016 by Blunderbuss

[oowee]

When I see the pheasant here nesting in the field I wonder how they would ever raise any young. They seem to pick the most open locations and if the local wildlife don't get them first I will have them for breakfast. Even if they make it to hatching the chances of one making it to a year old are stacked against it.