Tuesday, January 29, 2008

A murder of crows

For some reason, a HUGE group of crows--we're talking upwards of 500--has been roosting in downtown State College, bringing with it a noisy racket and a LOT of poop. The sidewalks and newsstands are covered in bird poo, and the smell is getting pretty strong. Everyone is asking me what's happening, but I don't know. It's never happened before, in the five years we've been here.

I also noticed that they're getting big roosts of crows in Pittsburgh (thanks to our state listserv). Is this just a normal occurrence, or did Hollywood issue a casting call for a remake of The Birds?

12 comments:

Unknown said...

Maybe the birds know something. As you know from Politits the starlings swirl around here every night.

RG said...

It's because it is raining so much in California ... filming of the sequel has been moved!!!!

Susan Gets Native said...

I think it's hilarious that everyone is asking you about it. Like you are in on the Big Crow Secret, because you are a birder.

I think it would be neat to see all those crows. But I bet it would get old real quick.

Carolyn H said...

It's funny that as the "local birder" you get asked about things like hordes of crows. The same thing happens to me, too. The real reason for the crows? Hard to say. Perhaps with the milder winter they're simply not roosting further south--like here in southern PA--this year. We put up with large groups of crows in the winter fairly regularly.

Anonymous said...

It makes me want to say "murder" like they do in the old British movies.

Crows, starlings.....what do they know that we don't?

dguzman said...

Oh yeah, everyone thinks I'm some kind of ornithologist or something. I just keep saying "I don't know, but it's strange." That keeps up my "mystique" as a bird-knower.

Larry said...

That's great...you get to watch this great spectacle and you don't even have to clean up after them! People are always asking me questions about birds; sometimes I don't have the answers.

dguzman said...

Dcup--I've been saying "muhr-duhr" with a British accent since I read your comment! hee hee

Larry--thank goodness I don't have to clean it up. In fact, apparently no one has to, because it's just everywhere! It's getting really stinky downtown.

dguzman said...

And Susan--I actually AM the Crow Secret-Keeper. But shhhh!--just don't tell anyone!

Mary said...

What's worse is starling poo - it has the consistency of glue.

I can't imagine that many crows. It smells?

Dr. Zaius said...

Please get me Tippie Hedrun's autograph.

dguzman said...

Mary--my god, YES, it smells! It's this weird and pungent stench. Blech. And now that it's been raining, it's even worse.

Dr. Z--Definitely! I'll be sure not to wear red when I ask her, though.