Black Birds of Death

Is it just me or are the black birds getting larger? 

Not the Saffron-cowled blackbird (Xanthopsar flavus), nor the Scarlet-headed blackbird (Amblyramphus holosericeus).  And not even the oft-discussed and snuggly Yellow-hooded blackbird (Chrysomus icterocephalus).  No, none of those commoners. 

I am talking about the true original American blackbird – the North American Roadkill Blackbird (ieatdisgustingdeadthingsacus).

I was driving along the freeway last week, minding my own business trying to get an SUV off my bumper when suddenly one of these birds swooped down out of the sky and took down a cow!   Scout’s honor, it’s the truth!

Okay, so I wasn’t a Scout, which means I am free to tell tales like that one.  But seriously, have you noticed how big these things are getting?    On the side of the road, picking away at nature’s forgotten auto accident critter-victims?  These birds dwarf turkeys for crying out loud.  

I am always afraid that one of them is going to go kamikaze and suddenly fly in front of me as I am driving by.   Because you know what?    I’d be calling a tow truck and the bird would causally fly off looking for its next meal.   There should be a separate collision limit on our auto insurance policies for having a run in with one of those things.

I just wonder if the scientists are noticing this phenomenon.   Are they studying the ever increasing girth of Roadkillicus?   Or is this going to turn into one of those horror movies where I am the only one who notices the phenomenon and gets killed off by the creatures in the first act before anyone fully understands that there is a problem. 

I don’t know, maybe it’s just me.