Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 09:39:07 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Jim Felley Subject: Fish crows (was S. Frederick City, 7/21) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Paul O'Brien mentioned the timing of the Fish Crow appearance at the winter Rockville roost. This is new and interesting information to me (I have been awed by the roost for only a paltry 13 years). In the past I have posted on my ID methods for Fish Crows, which center on family groups all and each giving the distinctive call (rather than on a single individual, as I too have heard a crow giving alternate Fish and American calls). I have noted two other characteristics that I would put forward for comment, criticism or outright contradiction: (1) Fish Crows tolerate much closer contact with other Fish Crows: I have seen them wing-to-wing on power lines, and I once flushed an actual dozen from the top of a flat parking-lot light, which I thought would have room for only a couple of birds that size. I have never seen American Crows this close together. I wonder if this is because Fish Crows flock in extended family groups, whereas American Crows do not. Any studies? (2) The American Crows in my neighborhood(s) (Gaithersburg and the Mall) molt their wing and tail feathers in June and July, whereas the Fish Crows seem to be starting their wing and tail-feather molt now. (Again, I'm basing all my ID's on the call criterion given above). Jim Jim Felley Smithsonian Institution irmss6682sivm.si.edu PS: It seems to me that the Rockville Roost was somewhat dispersed last year, though still centered on the White Flint Mall. Any details or comments? ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================