Monday 1 April 2013

Crow hybrids

Please look at the new crow page if you would be interested in helping with my observer survey about identification of crow hybrids. The basic survey can be found at the bottom of the right hand panel of this blog, please scroll down. The more complete survey, which you might like to complete if you regularly contribute data to BirdTrack, or took part in collecting data for the three breeding birds of Britain atlas projects, is here http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FP8J78J

Thanks.
Orkney observers - please don't complete this survey if you contributed to the Orkney specific survey previously, thanks.

2 comments:

Stewart said...

Hi Alastair, Can I give you something to be cautious of with hybrid crows. As a former Northumberland Records committee member we used to get a few hybrid records in mid to late summer at inland unusual sites. Further investigation found these birds to be newly fledged Carrion crows. The body is a dull matt brownish or greyish black with darker glossy black wings and tail. These are the dusty juvenile body feathers before they moult from a juv (aged 3j) to first winter (aged 3) after the body moult where the whole bird turns uniform black.

To this day you will find English 'hybrid' records in July / August relating to these young Carrions...

Cheers Stewart

Alastair said...

Stewart,
Thanks for that. I did observe exactly what you suggest last summer when staying with friends in Yorkshire, I was slightly confused by one of two juvs of a pair that seemed to show some of the characteristics of a hybrid, both parents were clearly carrion as you would expect from the location. I think I need to add this to the article I've already written in view of your comments. Actually if you've a minute i wouldn't mind you having a quick look at the piece so far (once I've added that). Not sure if I've got your email address, if you're interested badseawatcher@gmail.com will get me.

Thanks again, a really helpful point.