[dennisw]

<murder of crows>  I know this from Sting's "All this Time" 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xelGJzDJJY

 

[Happy Rain]

During the Dark Ages when the Black Death was decimating the European populations of the earth, crows and ravens, unlike buzzards, were less patient for carrion...

...when one was incapacitated enough from the pestilence so as to offer no resistance the black birds would swoop down in number to devour your still living flesh.

Hence the term “murder” of crows.

Crows and ravens are not so common in Africa where the native vultures are also aggressive and less likely to delay feasting until after last rites.