Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Murder of Crows


Reviewing photos of the past year, I came across this murder of crows roosting on a fence. Why murder. For those wondering minds, I searched the internet and found this:
A group of crows is called a “murder.” There are several different explanations for the origin of this term, mostly based on old folk tales and superstitions.

For instance, there is a folktale that crows will gather and decide the capital fate of another crow.

Many view the appearance of crows as an omen of death because ravens and crows are scavengers and are generally associated with dead bodies, battlefields, and cemeteries, and they’re thought to circle in large numbers above sites where animals or people are expected to soon die.

But the term “murder of crows” mostly reflects a time when groupings of many animals had colorful and poetic names. Other fun examples of “group” names include: an ostentation of peacocks, a parliament of owls, a knot of frogs, and a skulk of foxes.
Some days I wander. Some days I wonder.

6 comments:

  1. OK then. More snippets of trivia to store away in the ole noggin. Wonder if it'll ever come up?

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    1. The one place it comes up infrequently is an answer in a crossword puzzle.

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  2. I like that, a murder of crows. The others are good, too. I especially like an ostentation of peacocks and a parliament of owls. Sounds like they used the birds themselves to describe what a group would be called. Obviously. What is a group of RVers called? Or a specifically a group of boondockers, I wonder.

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    1. Giving the birds human traits does make it easier to understand the naming. How about some suggestions for names for a collection of RV boondockers.

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  3. I know our dogs would like to murder crows whenever they see them. Crows seem to stick in their craw more than squirrels.

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    1. I've seen squirrels torment dogs. Or maybe it appears that way. Crows are a smart bird and no doubt really do torment dogs intentionally.

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