Hello everyone,
Recently I was intrigued to notice a large number of crows (>20) in a gum-tree (Eucalyptus sp.) near here. They were excitedly 'discussing' something of corvid importance.
I wondered whether there is an accepted collective noun in the English language for a number of crows. You know, like a "merriment" of parsons. (Not particularly apt, that: I recall reading years ago of an English social services questionnaire which asked inter alia, "If faced with a 10% reduction in income, where would you make cuts?" To which one gloomy parson replied, "Across my throat!")
Trying to come up with a word for Crows, I thought that "a cawrus of crows" might be appropriate. However on posing the question to a (retired) librarian friend, (wonderfully helpful people, librarians) she came up with "a murder of crows" as the correct designation - which a fellow citizen of this fair city (who doesn't share my liking for these sagacious birds and shall therefore be nameless here) probably reckons is what it should be.
My librarian friend also offered "an unkindness of ravens" as the official English _expression_.
So, please could I be advised of any collective nouns for birds - any species, Australian or otherwise, any language (provided the word can be rendered in the English alphabet), formally recognised or dreamed up for the occasion.
Two requests though:
1. Send them to me, not to birding-aus (unless you really feel you must) and I'll post a compiled list in due course.
2. Considering some of the weird collective nouns - like murder and unkindness - that already exist, please state clearly when you have dreamed up a noun, so I can give due acknowledgement (unless you don't want this).
T I A
Syd Curtis (at Hawthorne in Brisbane, Queensland)
P.S. I guess a noise of Friar-birds would be a bit too obvious. What alternative?
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