“I have been watching crows harvesting chicks from the date palm trees around my condo. The palm trees are pretty unprotected and the crows make a round every week or so, often managing to leave with a chick in beak.
“I managed to chase away a crow that was trying to snatch a chick from a Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis) that nested in a date palm tree just outside my window (left). After being chased away, it never returned and the chicks fledged successfully.
“It appears that the crows have a fixed route of locations that they visit and they only make a visit approximately once a week.
“Wonder if anyone has similar observations.”
Jeremy Lee
Singapore
9th February 2010
2 Responses
I have often seen House Crows being chased away by birds. I have presumed this is to keep them away from their nesting young. In particular I have often seen the Black-Naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis) do this. Recently I saw a Pied Triller (Lalage nigra) chase a House Crow for quite some distance, probably for the same reason.
Appreciate the interesting post & the chasing away of the crow.
I have a similar observation.
In 2007 a pair of yellow vented bulbuls nested in my yard in june. the chicks mysterously disappeared.
2008 found no nestings from terrified parents, although they visited it several times, as did a house crow…
2009 found a nest in my neighbor’s yard, however the chicks again disappeared.
This year, the bulbuls nested again. the chicks hatched but again disappeard.