Wierd Rook behaviour...?

[John Fenna]

Across the road from me is a wood containing a large Rookery (but the owner will not let anyone play in his wood - just before you all ask...) that has been there for decades.
Next to the wood is a cottage with open fires.
This morning I have been watching Rooks queue up to stand on the chimney pot and smoke themselves in the smoke from the chimney!
They are not just standing there... they are bringing their wings round to captore the smoke so that it all funnels up between their wings and bodies, they are sticking their heads INSIDE the chimney and are preeneing as well!
A queue of Rooks has formed on the ridgeline of the roof and as one flies off another takes its place.
I have never seen anything like this before - what is going on?
It is a fairly warm, drizzly day with the frost all gone so I dont see it as just warming up....
Any ideas?
I will try to get photos.

 

[ANDYRAF]

Probably de-lousing themselves.

Andy

 

[korvin karbon]

Probably de-lousing themselves.

Andy

yup what he said, quite inventful of them really.

 

[Galemys]

quite inventful of them really.

Crows and allies are very intelligent birds and sometimes use burning fag ends but it's not only rooks and their kin that use smoke:

http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/birds-pick-up-a-good-smoking-habit/

http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Wilson/v069n03/p0195-p0262.pdf
(from page 54 on)

Cheers,

Tom

 

[John Fenna]

Clever - if lousy - birds!

 

[sapper1]

I wonder what you're burning John?

 

[firecrest]

Yes Ive heard of them doing this. They will also spread their wings over wood ants so they spray formic acid to delouse them.

 

[John Fenna]

It is my neighbours place - your honour...

 

[sapper1]

Ah!,I see.

 

[hammock monkey]

I hear crows and magpies right on top of my chimmney some mornings (but only mornings, never daytime or evenings) when there's no fire burning.

The de-lousing sounds right, but mine dont seem to be doing that...

just coincidence most likely i guess....