Rooks - real world experience

[jall55]

So after posting a few weeks ago about falling rook numbers - it appears we have had a fair number "move in"
I have been catching these in the Larsen and Clams but releasing as im not convinced of damage done to other birds - BUT as every day is a school day does anyone have any real world experience on them please?

 

[Nickb]

The RSPB think so ...knock them on the head.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Hmmm.
I have to say in all my years I do not recall ever seeing rooks feeding on anything other than seeds in sown or cut fields and worms and the like on recently ploughed ones. Plus of course grit at the roadside.
Gave up shooting them a very long time ago….

 

[jall55]

Hmmm.
I have to say in all my years I do not recall ever seeing rooks feeding on anything other than seeds in sown or cut fields and worms and the like on recently ploughed ones. Plus of course grit at the roadside.
Gave up shooting them a very long time ago….

Yes im the same TBH - but we have not had numbers for a while
Very interesting when i remove from the traps - they are so submissive compared to the other corvids

 

[Smellydog]

Hmmm.
I have to say in all my years I do not recall ever seeing rooks feeding on anything other than seeds in sown or cut fields and worms and the like on recently ploughed ones. Plus of course grit at the roadside.
Gave up shooting them a very long time ago….

Whilst they are dibbing in the grass for worms FB and they find a pipet nest its goodnight for them.

 

[jall55]

Whilst they are dibbing in the grass for worms FB and they find a pipet nest its goodnight for them.

Again SD in my experience do they not tend to go into fields that have been drilled or fresh cut grass ? Therefore meaning the chance of them finding a viable nest is slight ?

 

[GWP]

a mate shot over 200 on an open pig rearing field not a one in site until the farmer fed the pigs with pellets

 

[Smellydog]

Yes im the same TBH - but we have not had numbers for a while
Very interesting when i remove from the traps - they are so submissive compared to the other corvids

I shoot rooks and rooks carry avian flue exceptionally well from what I have observed!

 

[jall55]

I shoot rooks and rooks carry avian flue exceptionally well from what I have observed!

Yes but i suppose we cant kill thinks based on that can we - otherwise we would all be decoying gannets ?

I know you have a number SD and genuinely have you seen them take eggs / chicks ?

 

[Smellydog]

Again SD in my experience do they not tend to go into fields that have been drilled or fresh cut grass ? Therefore meaning the chance of them finding a viable nest is slight ?

Yes sure they do.
Farmers of old use to ask for the rooks to not be shot at sowing time as they believed they were eating the leather jackets.
Apart from that ditty I observed many times flocks of rooks working meadows in the spring.
Romatise all you want, they are a predatory bird end of.

 

[Smellydog]

Yes but i suppose we cant kill thinks based on that can we - otherwise we would all be decoying gannets ?

I know you have a number SD and genuinely have you seen them take eggs / chicks ?

Not personally no, they tend to not like me socialising with them...

 

[Smellydog]

Satisfied?

 

[reiver]

Shot one trying to get steal my hens eggs last week .

 

[Smellydog]

Take my advice STOP watching spring watch, stop it now, your being brainwashed. Go check the car over, polish your boots, anything, do anything but switch spring watch off!

 

[jall55]

Take my advice STOP watching spring watch, stop it now, your being brainwashed. Go check the car over, polish your boots, anything, do anything but switch spring watch off!

Its good SD - you should try it

 

[Rhodesianjess]

Many years ago,in the bad old days of keepering,poisoned eggs accounted for their crows and magpies for most keepers. Rooks would be picked up but nowhere near the numbers of the other two corvids targeted. Jays similar I understand.
Personally I once shot a large number of rooks on drilling. Opened up some crops to ascertain that they were targeting the seed. About half of them were contained wheat, the other half leather jackets etc. Never been too strict with them since then,if the numbers build up I will trim them a bit. Never like crows and magpies though,it's war to the knife with them.

 

[jall55]

In all seriousness i have no issue with culling anything - but just getting the evidence / justification is necessary
I have had a brilliant year on the vermin - foxes - magpies - rats - crows - but we now seem to have an issue with stoats !

 

[Smellydog]

Its good SD - you should try it

Id rather eat my own vomit first....

 

[jall55]

Id rather eat my own vomit first....

I know you dont like it but some real interesting stuff from time to time - that you would actually appreciate.
Anyway we digress
Back out with the decoys tomorrow

 

[Drum123]

I have witnessed rooks and jackdaws taking eggs many times. Albeit pheasant eggs , laid in stupid obvious places. But as lapwings , oystercatchers and curlew tend to nest in stupid obvious places why would you let the rooks do damage ? You shooting a few on your ground won't make one iota of difference in the numbers nationally but may save a few wader nests.