The Pied Crow is a
common resident of Africa, from Sub-Saharan Africa, right down to
the Cape, including the islands to the East of Africa. They are
rarely seen far from human habitation.
This bird is omnivorous, known to
eat anything from human scraps to carrion (road kill), feeding
mostly off the ground.
The Pied
Crow is monogamous (they mate for life) and they usually nest in
tall trees, on telephone poles, etc. The nest is built from sticks
and sometimes even wire. These wire nests can weigh up to 20 kg.
The clutch is 3 - 6 eggs, with the female incubating for 18 - 19
days, but covering the eggs when she leaves the nest. Fledging
takes around 45 days with both sexes rearing the
young.
This is one of the few wild birds
that has been domesticated successfully and have been known to
learn to talk.
This
particular site has a reasonable view of Table Mountain and variety
of different birds as well as some endangered species of
protea*.
Please note that there is a lot of soft sand en route to the cache.
So if you do this at night, be
careful!
These
birds can be sited all around this area and all along Plattekloof
Road.
Pictures:
Wikipedia and ProteaWorld
Online.
* For more info, go here
CONGRATULATIONS to Waynes
World on FTF