Crow Assignment and Dog Behavior

I used to stroll around the home in the evenings in kind of getting breeze and one day I causally looked at the custard apple tree (pic above) in front of our house but outgrown from the neighbor's compound, and found a male crow breaking the sprigs of the tree by going on the withered or easily breakable. Early summer the leaves were all parted and now it looks as if it started to shoot again and there’s already couple of little custard apples hung around… the crow seemed patient in finding the right sprig that’s easily achievable and it didn’t few away with the sprigs but dropped each after the break up. Later it few away and I left wonder. I know birds collect sprigs/sticks only if they are building nest and so I was sure the crow should be nesting somewhere and all the break ups for that.

What I really wonder was does the crow (or any bird species) built the nest at this time was because they know it is the season where trees withered to produce more sticks or it’s a coincident where nesting of birds and fall happens at same. I think in Tamil Nadu the fall season was between February-March.  During a visit to Topslip in mid Feb, I saw abundant of leaves filled across the forest and mountain pass and upon which I inquire to know it was the fall season there. Before I stop wondering, I was amused at the sight which followed. Where a female crow flew in collecting the sticks on the ground that was broke down by the male crow. As I went near the gate I find numbers of sticks were parted by him. I really loved the cooperation between them in building the nest and producing their offspring’s in fall season!

I think the male crow was very concern about building the nest and helping his partner, as I saw him other day on another tree with the same assignment.  The crow in the flight (picture above) wasn’t shot at pointing at the bird, but fell into image when taking some photos at Elliots beach.  

Another interesting sight I got to watch outside the gate on the following days was, a stray dog munching on grasses! First I thought it was sniffing something but it was actually chewing on a patch of grass on the roadside. I have heard dogs eat grass, but ever seen one before. Our pet dog, Maya, used to eat raw vegetables like beans and carrot and not grasses like the one seen above.  Upon this, I browsed the net to know: that a dog eating grass is actually quite common and this form of pica is considered as normal dog behavior. And grass eating doesn’t usually lead to throwing up -- less than 25% of dogs that eat grass vomit regularly after grazing. Other suggested reasons why dogs might be eating grass include improving digestion, treating intestinal worms, or fulfilling some unmet nutritional need, including the need for fiber.

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