Quantcast
breaking news

Crow population drops in Danville

Updated: January 10, 2013
watch video
DANVILLE -- The city of Danville has been a popular gathering place for crows, but this winter, birdwatchers noticed something strange.
A lot of those birds have disappeared. 
"As the months rolled on, people weren't complaining as much about the crows," said Mary Jane Easterday with the Middlefork Audubon Society. Families have complained about the noise and droppings the birds left behind for years. 
But this year, Audubon says the crow population has dropped by more than half. The group conducts an annual Christmas bird count. They estimate there are a little over 121,000 crows roosting in Danville this year. Past numbers were as high as 250,000. 
"It's probably been affected by the drought," said Steve Bailey with the Illinois Natural History Survey. Bailey says the dry conditions means less fruits and nuts, plus less animals that eat those things as well. Crows are omnivores so their food supply has dwindled as well. "There isn't much of everything the crow eat."
Experts also think West Nile may have played a role in the unexpected drop. A dead crow near the Chicago area tested positive for that virus a few months back. Experts say they're not certain what's behind the decreasing numbers; they don't know where the birds have headed to either.
Easterday says she's called a number of Audubon groups in Central Illinois. All report little to no fluctuations in their crow population.

Comments

Log in to comment on this article

Readers Feel...

hello
Related Content

URBANA -- Your spring cleaning could help the dogs and cats at the Champaign County Humane Society....

CENTRAL ILLINOIS-- There's a new drug hitting central Illinois, and experts at the Illinois Poison Center say it's more dangerous than other well known drugs on the market. ...

VIRGINIA-- A man is dead after a crash between a truck and a motorcycle....

Springfield -- Senate Bill now heading to Governor Pat Quinn's desk...

The forecast for the next few hours....

CHAMPAIGN -- It's a sign of the summer; corn dogs, rides and games but this fair is more than just fun....

CHAMPAIGN -- A Mahomet man faces decades behind bars for video-taping women in the bathroom. ...

DECATUR -- A parking garage described as an eyesore is finally being torn down....

CATLIN-- A train and semi collided Friday in Vermilion County....

NORMAL-- The father of a student fired shots in a high school was sentenced today....

 
More From WCIA News
  • Austin Cloyd Memorial Service
    Reported By: Sarah Jindra / WCIA 3 NEWS
    Tuesday, April 24, 2007 @ 5:33 PM
    Family and friends of Austin Cloyd came together in Champaign Tuesday, to share memories of her life.
    Read More»
  • Millikin University Attack
    Reported By: Amanda Evans/ WCIA 3 NEWS
    Tuesday, April 24, 2007 @ 2:16 PM
    Students jumping into action may have saved the lives of others.. when a party "off campus" at Millikin University turned violent. They wrestled...
    Read More»
  • Blagojevich Asks Nurses to Push for Healthcare Plan
    Reported By: Catie Sheehan / My CFN News at 9
    Tuesday, April 24, 2007 @ 1:00 PM
    Thousands of nurses came to Springfield for lobby day at the Capitol.
    Read More»
  • Unit 4 School Lottery
    Reported By: Charles Vance/WCIA 3
    Tuesday, April 24, 2007 @12:10 PM
    Champaign school administrators are calling this years school choice lottery was a success...
    Read More»
  • Khayri Patterson
    Reported By: Jennifer Roscoe / WCIA-3
    Tuesday, April 24, 2007 @ 5:17 AM
    The Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club in Champaign is a second home for many kids, but this year, our Kid to Know stands out.
    Read More»
Start
4211421242134214421542164217421842194220
End
      Page 4212 of 4600
 
Connect with ciLiving

 
 
 
©1998 - 2013 Illinoishomepage.net
Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.
All Rights Reserved