Why a murder of crows make so much noise just before sunset

Hundreds of them gather noisily on rooftops in the hour before sunset and, going by the caw-cacophony, appear to be having animated debates.

The black-feathered fellows create a deal of fuss and draw unavoidable attention to themselves when they meet in the evenings. Picture: Eamonn Farrell

A recent column on crows and their cheeky feeding habits brought informed reaction from several readers who have added to our knowledge of these fascinating and intelligent creatures.

The crow is one of Ireland’s most common birds but there are several crow (corvid) species, also including rooks, hooded crow, raven, jackdaw, chough, magpie and jay. The carrion crow visits occasionally, while rarer species like house crows arrive here on ships, with one spending some time in Cork a few years ago.