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Project Noah Nature School
Corvus splendens
The crow is a bold bird that has adapted very well to city conditions. Its forehead, crown, throat and upper breast are glossy black. Neck region is ashy in colour. The wings, tail and legs are black. The crow spent a long time ridding the cow of parasites...and getting itself breakfast in the process. The cow kept holding its head at an angle to facilitate the grooming. I liked the way the crow is gripping the horns. This is called Cleaning symbiosis. One species (the cleaner) removes and eats parasites etc. of the other (the client). Here the crow is the cleaner and the cow is the very patient and appreciative client.
Urban.
More Crow behaviour: https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/40...
Spotted on Jul 12, 2019
Submitted on Jul 12, 2019
6 Comments
Thanks,triggsturner. You should have seen the cow adjust the angles at which it held its head to allow the crow, better reach. Almost as if in a beauty parlour!
Great series Sukanya. The cow looks to be enjoying the attention.
Thank you, Neil.
Crows are such intelligent animals, and this cow knows it's on a good wicket. The perfect partnership. An incredible spotting, Sukanya, and so beautifully documented.
Thanks Gaia,
Isn't it just! I was quite amazed too...never really noted this till a few days ago when I saw a crow stand on one cow to clean another one....I was not swift enough to shoot that but since then I had been paying close attention when I pass the cows on my walk.
How cool, I didn't know crows adopted these kinds of behavior :)