This week in the woods, we found a family of fish crows rummaging in the vegetation along a river bank. Fish crows are slightly smaller than American crows but otherwise very difficult to distinguish from their cousins … that is, until they make noise, which is much more nasal sounding that an American crow caw. This photo (courtesy of Tig Tillinghast) shows a young bird. You can tell it’s immature by its blue eye and its pink gape (the back corner of its beak). In common with many other birds, young crows have brightly colored mouths, an adaptation that appears to prompt their parents to deliver food.
And speaking of food delivery, here’s a fun photo (also from Tig) of a tree swallow traffic jam. Juggling child care schedules with a spouse is difficult. Hang in there, tree swallow parents! The chicks fledge about 20 days after hatching, and although some will continue to beg for food, they’ll start catching prey (mostly, flying insects) on their own.
What have you noticed in the woods this week? Submit a recent photo for possible inclusion in our monthly online Reader Photo Gallery.