[meteorite-list] Falling stones and birds...

[Mark]

What some birds, such as the magpie and crows, is that they are attracted to 
bright and shinny objects. One species, and I can't remember which it is, 
will actually collect things to line his nest to make himself more 
attractive to the female. If they are disturbed in anyway while flying, they 
will drop whatever they are carrying.

Another possibility is that some of these rocks are from birds just taking 
off. Birds will eliminate feces at takeoff to lighten their load and of 
course, gizzard stones do get passed when they become too smooth

Hope this will help a little.

Mark Ferguson
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Martin Altmann" <altmann at meteorite-martin.de>
To: <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2006 8:52 PM
Subject: [meteorite-list] Falling stones and birds...


> Hola list,
>
> I have a stupid question for the ornithologists.
> Does it happen, that birds are throwing with stones?
> At least once per year I get an email from people, who swear to have heard 
> a
> stone hitting the roof and rolling down,
> recently again and the stone even should have had a red mark, where it hit
> the tile. The stones are quite small, often round or egg-shaped.
> I remembered an article years ago, reporting that a group of magpies 
> caused
> troubles in the Netherlands, frequently damaging parking cars in dropping
> stones.
> Can this story be true and if so, what are the reasons for such a 
> behaviour?
>
> Martin
>
>
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