126 Practical Bird-Keeping. — XII. The Crow Tribe.


themselves by imitating various local cries. In many places I

have heard our common Jay hooting and calling exactly like

the Brown Owl, whose cry has evidently, and probably with

reason, impressed itself very much.


In one of our w 7 oods the favourite song of the Jays in

spring (for it is in spring that all these strange cries are mostly

uttered) is the call of the male common Sheldrake. No Shel¬

drakes have been kept there for at least ten years. Yet the cry

has not been forgotten, and has probably been handed down to

the young from year to year, but I do not recollect to have heard

that cry except in that particular wood.


The Crow tribe are practically omnivorous, and will not

thrive on any one food ; unfortunately for them they are more

carnivorous in spring and early summer. The Raven appears

to be the most carnivorous, but even he must have abundant

variety in his diet. None of them are birds that have a feed and

fill themselves ; all are birds that are feeding on and off the

whole day. Food is buried and dug up again, hidden in trees,

covered over with clods of earth, but I don’t believe that any

hoard is ever forgotten. I can imagine no worse way of feeding

these birds than one which is commonly adopted, viz., to give a

lump of raw flesh ! If flesh is given it should be either in the

form of a bird or mouse, or a skull or bone, or in some cases,

such as the Cissas, tropical Jays, etc., finely chopped meat mixed

with other food, mealworms, etc. Eggs, so popular in a wild

state, do not seem to be much relished in captivity, at any rate

by some species, and I have given Starlings, Blackbirds and

Thrushes eggs, day after day, to Choughs, Azure-winged Mag¬

pies (Cyanopica look?'), Siberian Jays, etc., and they took little

notice of them.


All the Crow tribe are very great bathers, and must be

most liberally supplied with fresh water. With plenty of exercise

and occupation they are hard) 7 , but naturally require a good

thoroughly sheltered house to retire into at night.


Although many species have some raucous unpleasant

cries, all have some charming modulated notes. The Raven will

warble like a Blackbird, and also ventriloquise, so will the



