#corvidae — Public Fediverse posts

Moulting Season

I’ve mentioned several times on this blog that there are many crows in Maynooth. By “crows” I mean members of the family Corvidae, including rooks, jackdaws and magpies as well as crows themselves, of which the hooded crow is the most common around these parts. I find them all fascinating, as they are remarkably intelligent, playful and full of mischief, though they can be a nuisance at times. The sound of crows clattering about on the roof can be quite distracting, and their cawing and chattering is hardly musical. I’m used to them now, though. I often watch them with suspicion, wondering what they’re up to, but don’t try to scare them off. I would miss them if they went away.

At this time of year the crows are moulting, and I regularly have to pick up discarded feathers here and there:

I noticed some rooks and jackdaws starting to moult a few weeks ago, actually. The usual season is “late summer”, i.e. after the beeding season, but I suppose the precise timing of the onset of moulting depends on the weather. It does seem a rather uncomfortable time for these birds. Their new feathers have to grow out through their skin as the old ones are discarded which can’t be a pleasant experience. I imagine they feel quite itchy while it’s going on. They also look very dishevelled and grumpy; sometimes even embarrassed. Some look sick or diseased, but they’re quite healthy really. It’s just a natural phase they go through once a year. Soon they will emerge with shiny new feathers, ready for fresh mischief.

All this this reminded me of this famous excerpt from a letter written by the artist Vincent van Gogh to his brother Theo in 1880:

What the moulting season is for birds – the time when they lose their feathers – setbacks, misfortune and hard times are for us human beings. You can cling on to the moulting season, you can also emerge from it reborn, but it must not be done in public.

It echoes one of the themes of yesterday’s post.

Baby scrub. #Thursjay

📷🌿🪶

Zine about corvids (print it out & fold it!) https://smbsy.itch.io/corvidae #corvids #zine #corvidae

Heard there were peanuts. #Thursjay

I saw the devil.

Bad shot but cool nonetheless. Though, I am biased, I love all Corvidae indiscriminately.

#Corvids #Corvidae #Crow https://stardust.pixelunion.eu/s/gallery/photos/4f3be673-9286-43d6-823d-e6d2d11707b3

Happy #Thursjay from this Steller's jay that's still growing into his or her looks, but knows where the peanuts are.

📷🌿🪶

For todays #BirdOfTheDay theme, #Corvidae, I have this hooded crow - I watched it play with a bit of plastic for I think a quarter of an hour or so. It was definitely a playful behavior, it kept throwing and catching the clean plastic. #Birds

Hello everyone! Bird found in distress. Help needed.
So this Eurasian Jay was found on a tree today, being there and screaming for many hours already, as told by people living here.

The bird was clearly in distress not moving, but turning their head often. After that the bird carefully got off the tree and dropped to ground. Waited for a while silent, still as in pain, now started yelling again.

My guess would be that it is some injury considering all said and the fact there is a house with huge glass windows right here. Gusty winds are present. The weather is not particularly hot today, 25C (77F), but was much hotter on Monday.

What is the right thing to do in this situation? Any advise and boosts would be greatly appreciated.

#AskFedi #Birds #Bird #Help #BirdsOfFediverse #BirdsOfMastodon #Jay #Corvidae #Advice #AskMastodon #AskFediverse

Hope no one else uses a crow today 🤞 #BirdOfTheDay #Black

📷🌿🪶

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) in Norman, Oklahoma, United States on May 24, 2026

Some of the camera settings I used to make this photo are at: https://www.rsok.com/~jrm/2026May31_birds_and_cats/IMG_5970c_2026may24_bluejay.html

#birds #Corvidae #wildlife #wildlifephotography #crosstimbersEcoregion #Oklahoma #photography

Feliz #Thursjay 📷🌿🪶

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) on Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) in Norman, Oklahoma, United States on May 9, 2026

Some of the camera settings I used to make this photo are at: https://www.rsok.com/~jrm/2026May11_birds_and_cats/IMG_5859c_2026may09_crow.html

#birds #Corvidae #wildlife #wildlifephotography #Oklahoma #photography

Also warging. 📷🌿🪶🐦‍⬛

@alan678.bsky.social #BirdOfTheDay theme is #photogenic, alt is #Corvidae ¿Porque no los dos? Torresian crow, Corvus orro #photography #birds #crow #gift #ECK

Geez Thursjay again already? 📷🌿🪶

Eichelhäher (*Garrulus glandarius*) im Flug - die leuchtend blauen Flügelspiegelfedern sind unverkennbar! Als intelligenter Corvide versteckt er im Herbst tausende Eicheln als Wintervorrat und vergisst dabei viele - so pflanzt er unbewusst ganze Eichenwälder.

#fotografie #natur #naturfotografie #vögel #vogelfotografie #photography #nature #naturephotography #birds #birdphotography #birdsofmastodon #birdsofpixelfed #Eichelhäher #Jay #Corvidae

Thursjay blessings.

Today we fact check.
“No, the difference between crows and ravens is not, in fact, a matter of a pinion.”

https://corvidresearch.blog/2018/12/21/a-matter-of-a-pinion/
#puns #Corvidae #funfacts

I hope you all see some fine and sassy birds this #Thursjay. Save the Florida scrub jay. 📷🌿🪶

A rather friendly American Crow today at Grant Park, our local recreation spot. Flew in about 30 feet from me and just perched and did some preening. I took a lot of photos and came closer, and they just looked at me, perhaps hoping I had some peanuts. When I left, the Crow left.

#birds #birding #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #birdsofmastodon #biodiversity #corvidae

Steller's jay showing off its fine #blue #stripes. #BirdOfTheDay 📷🌿🪶

I love my emotional support yard crows. 📷🌿🪶🐦‍⬛