Among Friends

[dex]

Two of the sweetest little wrens built a nest in my shrub close to the deck.They have been very busy feeding their babies and don’t seem to mind me watching.Lately though a flock of crows have been hanging around and I am sure they want to attack the baby birds.Now I have to go out every time I hear those noisy crows to scare them off.I only hope I am always home when those babies need me to intervene.

[LyndaGee]

So nice of you to do this.

I follow a celebrity on Twittter, and she has had the same problem in her yard, only with Blue Jays. 

[dooBdoo]

You have such a good heart, @dex.❤️

[MoonieBaby]

The babies are blessed to have an additional momma watching and caring for them....how lovely for them and for you - beautiful lil wren babies in your site - how nice.

I love when we step up to give nature a hand.  I applaud you and your efforts!

[Drythe]

@dex 

You are so kind, thank you !  ♥️ 🐦♥️

[Ketra]

I can’t stand the crows. They’re the bullies of the bird world. You are so sweet to look after those baby birds.😊

[dooBdoo]

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@Ketra wrote:

I can’t stand the crows. They’re the bullies of the bird world. You are so sweet to look after those baby birds.😊

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            They really can be bullies, @Ketra,  that's for sure.🙀   I used to thoroughly dislike them until I watched the PBS documentary, and then was inspired to read more about these fascinating creatures after that.   If you're interested, this is the PBS show, "A Murder of Crows," and the general description.😊

"Crows live everywhere in the world except Antarctica and are a part of myths and legends in many cultures.   Their reputation in the stories varies from comical to frightening, godlike or wise, bringers of light and bringers of death, though a “murder” of crows refers to a flock of crows, and not to anything murderous, at all.   They may be all these things, but what we are learning is that they are especially smart.

New research has shown that they are among the most intelligent animals on the planet.   They use tools as only elephants and chimpanzees do, and recognize 250 distinct calls.   

One particular talent they have been discovered to possess is the ability to recognize individual human faces and pick them out of a crowd up to two years later – a trick that might make even Hitchcock shiver with fright.

They thrive wherever people live and have used their great intelligence to adapt again and again to a constantly changing world.    Some memorize garbage truck routes, and follow the feast from day to day.    Others drop nuts in the road and wait for passing cars to crack them open.    And some build their nests from items we throw away – like wire clothes hangers.

These are social birds that mate for life and raise their young for up to five years.

And they learn from each other’s misfortunes.    When one is killed in a farmer’s field, it’s not uncommon for them to change entire migratory patterns so that no crows fly over that field for as long as two years.

These birds might have a scary reputation, but what may prove to be the scariest thing about them is how much they know about us, and how little we know about them."

(pbs.org/wnet/nature/a-murder-of-crows-introduction/5838/)

[SeaMaiden]

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@dex wrote:

Two of the sweetest little wrens built a nest in my shrub close to the deck.They have been very busy feeding their babies and don’t seem to mind me watching.Lately though a flock of crows have been hanging around and I am sure they want to attack the baby birds.Now I have to go out every time I hear those noisy crows to scare them off.I only hope I am always home when those babies need me to intervene.

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@dex     You will need to keep an eye out for the crows... I had nest of a family of robins in a tree right out my kitchen window AND WITNESSED A CROW attack the nest... take the babies and then come back and destroy the nest.  It was awful..... I still am so sad from it.

I also find bird feet and parts in my bird baths daily from crows who have killed other birds for food.  They are just awful.

[ScarletDove]

@dex  Good job, enjoy the co-mothering....little wrens are sweet little things!  If the crows continue to come around on a regular basis harrassing the mother wren and nest, perhaps you can divert them with putting out some seed, nuts, raisins and/or cranberries some distance away from the nest....they are more interesting in eating...

[Anonymous032819]

Crows and ravens are so intelligent!