Researchers for the MTO found over 200 dead crows near Toronto recently and there was concern that they may have died from Avian Flu. A Bird Pathologist examined the remains of all the crows and to everyone's relief confirmed the problem was definitely NOT Avian Flu.
The cause of death appeared to be Vehicular Impacts. However during the detailed analysis it was noted that varying colors of paints appeared on the birds' beaks and claws. By analyzing these paint residues it was determined that 98% of the crows had been killed by impact with trucks while only 2% were killed by an impact with a car.
MTO then hired an Ornithological Behavioralist to determine if there was a cause for the disproportionate percentages of truck kills versus car kills. He very quickly concluded the cause: When crows eat road kill they always have a look-out crow in a nearby tree to warn of impending danger. We discovered that while all the lookout crows could shout "Cah"------- not a single one could shout "Truck."
