The language of crows

[gsdx]

Have you ever listened to crews cawing? They talk to each other over great distances, and there is actually a conversation going on. Right now, there is a crow nearby and another far enough away that I can barely hear it. But they've been holding a conversation over the past minute or so.

This is not a joke. I'm very serious about it:

Crow 1 - "Caw caw. (pause) Caw."
Crow 2 - "Caw caw caw caw."
Crow 1 - "Caw caw. (pause) Caw"
Crow 2 - "Caw caw caw caw."
Repeated several times, then:
Crow 1 - "Caw caw caw (no pause)."
Crow 2 - "Caw caw caw caw."
Crow 1 - "Caw caw. (pause) Caw." (This was the last exchange from Crow 1.)
Crow 2 - "Caw caw caw caw. (long pause) Caw caw caw caw."
Another long pause, then:
Crow 2 - "Caw caw. (pause) Caw caw."
Long pause.
Crow 2 - Caw caw. (pause) Caw caw." (This was the last exchange from Crow 2.)

I've heard many such exchanges, especially early in the morning. Their conversations are determined by the number of rhythm of their 'caws'.

Boring as hell for most of you, I know, but I find it all rather interesting, and it would be even more interesting if someone could actually study it long enough to be able to translate the exchanges.

 

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

yea nature a wonda

but pity humans of type no got eyes ears ta hear ans see umselfs

thankyou

 

[Essex Boy]

This isn't boring at all. Two crows have been hanging around the gardens in our neighbourhood for a few weeks now and I find their cawing oddly restful. Like a back rub for the soul. Maybe it's because it's lower pitched than most birds. But it never occured to me that there was a dialogue going on. I'll have to eavesdrop when they come round at teatime . . .

 

[FPNY]

They say they are the smartest birds out there. I saw a show on PBS some time ago where these bird people wore a mask and taunted young crows in the nest. They followed the crows to adulthood, one person put the mask on and the adult crow recognized the mask and started warning the others of a potential danger. It is interesting that they have the ability to communicate the way they do. Apparently the crows stay together for the better part of their lives, the parents and all the offspring stay in the same area...

 

[gsdx]

But it never occured to me that there was a dialogue going on. I'll have to eavesdrop when they come round at teatime . . .

Listen and count, and note the pauses. It's beyond coincidence. There is definitely communication going on. It reminds me of yodelling and jungle drums. Grows have figured out how to talk to each other.

 

[OPHELIA_HARDIN]

A couple years ago this guy fell out of his nest and ended up in the bushes below my bedroom window. I fed him with a syringe and some high protein ferret food. His mother absolutely HATED me so I took to wearing a hat to keep from getting my skull pecked in.

I'm quite certain she still knows who I am because sometimes I'll be out in the garden and I'll hear her bitch at me and even take a flying stab at my head.

BTW, the baby eventually flew away after a couple days. I like to think he survived just fine.

 

[ibill1]

This is interesting. I have been hearing them every morning for many years. Right after daybreak for an hour or so, and then nothing during the day. When I take my bulldog down the street in the morning they seem to follow us down the street flying from tree to tree talking to each other. They probably have nests around and just keeping a watchful eye. One thing I do notice is when they are cawing, the other birds seem to go silent.

 

[Latimer]

I've read (Robert Graves, perhaps?) that the ancient Greeks believed that they were the souls of fallen warriors. I try to console myself with this when they wake me up at 5 AM and I am trying to get back to sleep. How wonderful it is, in comparison, to wake up to the sound of songbirds!

 

[gsdx]

BTW, the baby eventually flew away after a couple days. I like to think he survived just fine.

will you become a responsible parent?

Did you not read that this happened a few years ago and that the baby flew away after only a few days?

 

[72-Jay]

Have you also noticed that its also very rare for a crow to squawk just once?
between 2-4 times seems to be pretty common

 

[freefall]

They're birds. They can only use the chirps to communicate. I don't think it's that weird that they're using different numbers of repetitions, rhythms, and intonations of the 'caw's to say something. Heck if someone regards the chirps as only sounds produced by birds to please/annoy humans they are very dumb indeed.

Nonetheless, crows are smart. They learn things quickly, even compared to other smart birds.

 

[gsdx]

I don't think it's that weird that they're using different numbers of repetitions, rhythms, and intonations of the 'caw's to say something.

Nobody said it was 'weird'. Most were fascinated with the fact that the crows actually hold conversations with each other, and that the sentences change within a single exchange.

Heck if someone regards the chirps as only sounds produced by birds to please/annoy humans they are very dumb indeed.

Sorry, I don't even get that.

 

[pat grimshaw]

I like crows too. Magpies, as well.

 

[Essex Boy]

I wonder: do different sorts of birds understand one another, or do they believe that they are the only ones who can 'speak'? Do the thrushes say, 'I wish those big black and white birds would stop that inane chattering, one can hardly hear oneself think!'

 

[gsdx]

^ I think they might recognise common 'warnings' like 'danger' or 'run away', just like people from other countries might recognise such warnings even in languages they don't know, but I don't think they would understand complete conversations. I doubt that a robin would understand 'crow' any more than someone who doesn't speak Swahili would understand it.

 

[BreakTheIce]

you must be really bored....

so here you go:

42 minutes in, the section on crows. Their emotions assist in their survival and they have amazing memory. They also communicate with one another.

 

[OPHELIA_HARDIN]

you must be really bored.... so here you go:

42 minutes in, the section on crows. Their emotions assist in their survival and they have amazing memory. They also communicate with one another.

How cool! Thanks...

 

[gsdx]

you must be really bored...

To whom are you speaking?