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[cloasters]

But I'm buying a lot more Subway's now that they cost so much less. They say that you should only eat tuna once per month, and Albacore has more mercury than the more pedestrian "Off-White" tuna. Or Tunny, as they called it in the UK a while back.

[cloasters]

Who cares about tuna sandwiches? Only if you're hungry during the early afternoon. Like right now. I know, it's entirely too personal. A thousand pardons, your graces.

[cloasters]

Spam makes a better sandwich any day. Gack.

[cloasters]

Did the Earl of Sandwich really "invent" using slabs of bread to wrap more interesting foodstuffs? Urban legend or historical fact? Anyone know why the Sandwich Islands received their name? Is "sandwich" pronounced as "samich" in McGuckald's commercials?

[cloasters]

Don't remember exactly how old I had to get before McDonald's food became indigestible. Is this only me or does this happen to other people as well?

[cloasters]

Their French fries also called chips and pomme frites gave me a 72 hour stomach ache when I tried them at least ten years ago. Complain, complain. The shame!

[cloasters]

Was a group of crows called a "murder" before "murder" means what it does today? Or are crows simply categorized as "bad," ergo a murder of crows?

[cloasters]

No ornithologists on board? Well I never!

[cloasters]

Nor etymologists? If everyone already knows that a group of crows is called a "murder," my apologies!

[Strongwolf]

Originally Posted by cloasters

Nor etymologists? If everyone already knows that a group of crows is called a "murder," my apologies!

Not me. I thought a group of crows was a crowd (like in many crows).

[Redroar]

My brother is an ornithologist...Though he is more interested in the evolution and genealogy of birds, and not necessarily the reason why a group of crows is called a "murder" and not the more common "flock."

I may ask him sometime, all the same, because it is indeed an interesting choice of words.

[cloasters]

A flock of sheep, a school of fish and a murder of crows. Is it the same in Spanish? Yes, I'm ignorant! A brother who's an ornithologist, impressive!

[Strongwolf]

A bunch of Geeks!!! j/j

[Daniel ~]

Crows flock together to kill squirrels and other birds and small animals that compete with them for resourses...hence a murder of crows...I can't say how I came by this understanding, just always knew this...so it's probably wrong! LOL

[cloasters]

Crows can be nasty. They rob nests and eat the eggs or baby birds. They also have very good memories. A researcher stole some crow eggs for research ~seven years ago. When he revisited the spot where he committed the crime against "crow-manity," he was mobbed immediately by the shiny black birds.

They may be the most intelligent birds, they're smart enough to become bored.

[Redroar]

I believe that they are the only birds capable of abstract thought, as well. Indeed, they are a lot like most people. Replace the eggs with the disadvantaged, and the crows look just like quite a few CEOs. Even down to the shiny black suit!

[cloasters]

I don't know the difference between crows and ravens. I also don't know if crows are named "rooks" in the United Kingdom. If I was the same size as a crow I surely wouldn't feel comfortable near them.

[Daniel ~]

I "think" The Raven is considered the "King of Crows" and is the largest of the subspices... but that's probably wrong as well! LOL

[Daniel ~]

Description

The largest member of the Crow Family, ravens average 24 inches tall, with a wingspan of 46-56 inches. Their coloration is all-black with a metallic shine of purple or violet that is noticeable in certain lighting conditions. The bill is large and stout. In flight, the tail appears wedge-shaped, which distinguishes it from crows.

Vocalization
The Common Raven's scientific name, Corvus corax, means " raven croaker." Noted for their calls, Bernd Heinrich writes in "Ravens in Winter" how many researchers have studied ravens and their vocalizations. One observation that was consistent throughout the findings is that ravens have a wide repertoire of vocalizations.

These sounds, though, vary greatly from area to area. One bird's quork was another bird's kra, and was another's caw. The researcher's correlated raven behavior with the calls, as well. These activities were then lumped into categories, nestling's kaah for hunger, antagonist kaaa for defense, quork for territorial advertisement. But what the researchers also found while reviewing the sonograms of each other's work, was that they, the researchers, often found little common ground. One's "flight call" was another's "territorial advertisement".

Tail
Ravens have a wedge-shaped tail, distinguishing them from crows, which have a fan-shaped tail.

Related Species
The raven is often confused with its close relative, the crow, but there are major differences between the two species that are apparent when crows and ravens are seen together. Ravens are more solitary than crows, which will often assemble in large flocks.

Ravens eat rodents, insects, grain, fruit, bird eggs and refuse. They consume much carrion, especially in winter and will even prey upon sick and injured animals.

A raven is every bit as alert as a crow and possesses sharp eyesight and hearing. Ravens are considered among the most intelligent of all birds; like crows, they can learn to imitate a variety of sounds, including the human voice. In nature, their calls include guttural croaks, gurgling noises, and a sharp, metallic "tock.
Behavior

Ravens are strong fliers that can hover in place like American kestrels or soar like a hawk. They may fly like stunt pilots at times, doing partial barrel-rolls in flight. The birds may form large flocks of over several hundred individuals during their autumnal migration.

[cloasters]

I've definitely never seen a raven, even I would notice a two foot tall "crow!" I think I remember hearing that if you split a crow's or raven's tongue, it then can talk. What a nice thing for a "person" to do. And why would you want such a mischief prone beast in your home?