A few months ago, I blogged about how I love crows, one reason being that a group of them is called a murder of crows. That image is very fitting for a Suburban Noir writer.
It turns out, murder of crows is a poetic phrase. The correct term is flock of crows. I’m devastated. I suppose if I’d bothered to do any research, I would have discovered that fact quickly.
There are several explanations for the origin of the term. One is from a folktale that crows gather to decide the capital fate of another crow. Another is that many view the appearance of crows as an omen of death because ravens and crows are scavengers and are typically associated with dead bodies: battlefields and cemeteries. They’re also said to gather in large numbers above sites where animals or people are expected to die soon.
But the term mostly comes from a time when groupings of many animals had more fanciful names, such as an ostentation of peacocks, a parliament of owls, and a knot frogs.
The reason I found out it’s a poetic term is because crows appear to be thriving in Silicon Valley lately. The San Jose Mercury News wrote an article, complete with a slide show, regarding flocks of crows at the Oracle campus.
Once again, it’s fitting, because it just so happens that I work for Oracle. I’m thinking I need to schedule a meeting at corporate headquarters.
Photo credit: San Jose Mercury News © 2012
I recently saw a documentary on crows and it is absolutely amazing how intelligent those birds are.
They are so beautiful, it’s hard for me to think of them as scavengers. And when they hop around on my street I feel like they’re looking me in the eye. I’d love to see that documentary, do you remember the name?
I’ve seen it too – I was shcoked how intelligent they are!!
Sorry I can’t remember the name – but they can spot a human face in a crowd of hundreds, and pass this memory on to their offspring! Crazy!!!
I just wish they weren’t so bloddy loud- they wake us up sooooo often! lol
That’s amazing! Now I have to find it.
I guess that’s why I’m more affectionate toward them than most, I get up before they do
I too prefer murder of crows.
And reading about your crows reminded me of creepy-guy-from-the-past-and-his-creepiest-pick-up-line-ever, so THANK YOU! I feel a short story coming on…
Well that’s a heck of a teaser! You have me dying of curiosity now.
You’ve given new meaning to crows! I’ll have to look for them next time I am at corporate.
The photographs are amazing. I don’t need to get up that way very often, but this is making me think I should head over before they move on.
Lovely picture, and I much prefer the poetic term
It’s a beautiful campus, I love going there, but don’t often have reason to.
I think we’re unanimous on preferring the poetry.
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I love that photo. Here’s something else for you. I recently heard an owl expert on public radio talking about crows and owls. Did you know that crows are completely inactive at night? It makes them perfect prey for the great horned owl. Now, this may have been speculation, but it was said that perhaps “murder” is term coined out of the retribution the other crows feel for the damage done to a fallen member of the pack. Or maybe not.
That’s one I hadn’t heard, it makes sense. Either way, it sounds like there’s more to them than meets the eye, which is true of everything, I suppose.
Thanks for stopping by and adding intriguing information!
I love this photo! Watching crows has always been intriguing, but I had no idea they were so intelligent. We have so many of them in the Houston area.
Isn’t that a beautiful photograph? I loved the whole slide show. I didn’t know they were so intelligent either, I hope I can get my hands on that documentary!