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

The forecast for the next few hours....

UPDATE 5/21:FAYETTE COUNTY -- The coroner has released the identities of five men killed in a crash Monday....

SPRINGFIELD -- A teen is recovering after being grazed by a bullet Monday night....

PAXTON -- Oklahoma City is ten hours away, but people in Central Illinois are Taking Action to collect donations and make that drive to bring a piece of home back to victims who lost it all....

CHAMPAIGN -- A kindergartner wandered off during recess causing a scary situation for teachers....

CHAMPAIGN -- Traffic may soon move a little faster through one of town's busiest intersections....

URBANA -- Dozens who are often treated as different, got a chance at being normal kids Tuesday....

CHAMPAIGN -- A man is happy to hear his relatives weren't in the direct path of a deadly tornado....

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY -- We can lock the doors and install security cameras, but sometimes that doesn't stop violence from happening inside our schools. ...

DANVILLE -- More construction could be coming to the city....

 
More From WCIA News
  • Teacher Investigated for Sexual Misconduct
    Reported By: Amanda Evans/ WCIA 3 NEWS
    Tuesday, February 27, 2007 @ 2:05 PM
    A Deland-Weldon high school teacher is being investigated for sexual misconduct.
    Read More»
  • Back from the Brink
    Reported By: Christina Wall / WCIA-3 News
    Tuesday, February 27, 2007 @12:52 PM
      Meth is a bigger problem in Vermilion, Coles and Effingham counties than anywhere else in the state.  But police fear people don't know just...
    Read More»
  • Campaign '07
    Reported By: Andy Miller / WCIA-3 News
    Tuesday, February 27, 2007 @12:22 PM
    March Primaries - Voters are hitting the polls to weigh in on who they want to see on the April ballot. Mayoral seats and...
    Read More»
  • Carle Loses Tax Exempt Status
    Reported By: Charles Vance/WCIA 3
    Tuesday, February 27, 2007 @12:01 PM
    The State of Illinois wants one local hospital to start paying up...
    Read More»
  • Champaign City Council
    Reported By: Andy Miller
    Tuesday, February 27, 2007 @11:45 AM
    At Large
    Read More»
Start
4291429242934294429542964297429842994300
End
      Page 4295 of 4614
 
Connect with ciLiving

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