CollectIons or gatherIngs of birds, fish and animals have always interested me and If I don’t know the collective name of a group of animals etc I try to find the correct description of them.
Herd of Cattle, Den of Lions, Shoal of Fish, - for me personally I don’t think that any of them bring forth one’s vivid imagination as much as ‘A Murder of Crows’!
I’ve read that the name originated because at times a female crow is literally pecked to death by other bIrds, thus, in human terms, murdering her.
I truly believe that animals, particularly In the wild have different reasons for their actions and cannot have human values placed upon them, therefore what we might describe as murder they may be ridding their species of an inferior bird who may not be strong enough to breed, fend for herself, survival of the fittest, a description given to animals In the deserts and jungles of the world seems to fit this scenario.
The reason this has sparked my interest is that two days ago in my back garden I was inundated with Crows, the noise was literally deafening and surprised as I was I had to go to investigate why there were so many gathering in one place – my yard!
Of course they scattered (noisily) as I approached and as much as I searched for carrion of any kind I found nothing. Had there been any dead animal my dog would have found the source without a doubt.
They must have been watching because as soon I returned to my house down they came once again and repeated their actions, flapping, cawing, so many of them I lost count.
I was so intrigued by these bIrds and yet I still do not know the reason they did this.
There were birds there of different ages (look at their eyes) and I imagine both gender but it’s a total mystery to me why they picked my yard for whatever reason privvy to them alone.
Whilst standing in my yard I watched them circle around the outskirts of my place, perching in the taller gum trees and felt they were watching me too.
Whatever their reasons for being here I watched and listened with curiosity and wonder, still not really knowing why they chose my yard that day, but glad they did, although I still find their group name rather discomforting.
