Yesterday I got in a wonderful little crow, probably one of this years hatch, that had a broken wing. She came from some very caring people, Kris & Scott Prinzing (see links) in Billings. They'd found her in their neighborhood, called Jeff Ewelt at the Beartooth Nature Center in Red Lodge who then called me to see if I would take the bird. Of course I said yes, I really like corvids, so Jeff drove her down here. I'd made an advance appointment with Dr. Blessing so she would be seen right away. What we saw on the x-ray was very upsetting. This amazingly bright, beautiful bird had been shot with a pellet gun, one was still in her chest. In traveling through her body it had shattered the humerus at her shoulder joint and also about a half inch from the elbow. As neither of these breaks were repairable, SHOLA was euthanized.
I often wonder just what is in the mind of someone that takes a weapon out for the express purpose of killing something just to be killing something. I am a hunter and am not talking about putting food on the table, this was pure murder. This young bird was just starting out a life that would have been filled with blazing intelligence, devotion to her future family and a joy of life that only corvids can exhibit. I am so sad.
OH! This is so upsetting! I just LOVE corvids of all kinds! I can not understand people who kill just for the joy of killing, it is so cruel and shows no respect for life at all. I don't hunt, and can not kill anything (except mosquitoes), but I have no problems with folks who hunt for food, but I have no respect or sympathy for anyone who does something like this. Too bad the shooter got away with this, free to repeat this thoughtless, irresponsible behavior again. Gerrrrr
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