It seems to me that the time is ripe for a Bluesky thread about how—and maybe even why—to befriend crows.
(1/n)
(1/n)
Comments
Robert Frost knew.
"The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued."
So often my crow friends have saved a day ruined by work or otherwise. (2/n)
First and foremost they like food. Peanuts in the shell are a favorites but anything works; crows are omnivorous. Below, my friend Salty.
(3/n)
Q: Should I put out peanuts in the shell in another place for the corvids? Just give it time?
Most at my job tolerates me within about 2m, some willing to go close enough that I could hit them with an umbrella if I was a monster. Notably, they get closer than seagulls that I chase away.
You can establish relationships like these with jays as well but I think crows are far more tuned to our behavior
It takes a while to fit them in
And she taught her kid
They're remarkably good at recognizing faces, gaits, and even the sound of a particular car's engine.
In the rain wearing a new jacket with the hood up? They recognize me. (5/n)
https://web.archive.org/web/20240315154053/https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2024/03/crows-urban-city-habitat/677766/
And a checkup by the patriarch of the local flock one day when I wore a new color near the chickens.
They still follow my daughter
Have not befriended crows like that yet, will try. They're my spirit animal.
There's a disabled crow that loves us, lands in front of us as soon as he hears the dogs bark 🥹
Don't worry, you won't hit them, but watch for them dropping things.
Sometimes they'll have a hard nut that they can't crack so they may drop it in front of your car so you can run it over.
They've now learned to perch on the bbq grill when they want peanuts (which is near daily)
This crow has fought off many a hawk and foolish cat.
he is so cute 😭😭😭😭😭😭
Crows would definitely say "cheetos" but I am not convinced they have quite the same nutrient value.
Now, yesterday was the first day the crow seemed to be expecting me. Not sure, though.
It sounds ridiculous but they wait for him now.
A friend went away for the weekend and didn't feed them — came back to find his deck in pieces.
A prerequisite to all this is to live/work/etc. somewhere where crows regularly hang out? Not going to have much luck attracting the random crow just "passing through" presumably?
So intelligent
“Scruffy”
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It was just so funny 😆
What I need is to befriend a Great Horned Owl and a Merlin Falcon. Tips?
All three crows appeared and requested peanuts. Which, fortunately, I had in my pockets.
https://bsky.app/profile/voidwarbler.bsky.social/post/3k3e27kwhq22d
They LOVE roasted unsalted peanuts.
And they love hoarding and stealing from each other.
The neighbours would object of we started feeding them, but we do put out water for the birds.
Here are some other lovely visitors. And I live in a city.
I have named him Nathaniel Cawthorne.
Visiting my aunt's house out west, there were always crows about. I believe that she wrote and illustrated a story about them.
I have a pair of crows living close to my windows. The problem is - I also own 4 cats and I don't think tehy will be friends. :)
Du redest doch sonst nicht so geschraubt.
Maggies are the best. I so enjoyed watching them with their young ones when I was down there in November.
I’d love to befriend them, but they seem wary because of our cats…
https://music.apple.com/us/album/poor-old-crow/1456781094?i=1456781503
I asked what the hell he thought he was doing!
He shrugged his wings and said "caw?".....
Thank you.
I love this bird.
I will try and get better video.
Only 1 of them will take food from my hand though.
I love your post about them.
Thank you.
Crows have been observed working with wolves in the wild. Leading the to food, playing with the pups, etc..
Although I'm reading a fascinating new textbook on social behaviors of reptiles, and alligators are actually pretty smart and social, yet I'm reluctant to actively befriend them.
I've been befriending the crows in my new neighborhood. I wanted to try it years ago but we were close friends with the mockingbirds at our old place, so I didn't try to have a flock invade their yard XD
The crows yell at my car when I come home if the peanuts are gone
Last June in Seattle, I was attacked by crows twice, several miles apart. One hit me in the back. It was nesting season & they were protective. I get that. But I was wearing glasses on top of my head, headband style. Did that make them think I was watching or threatening them?
No harm was done, so just one of life's little mysteries.
The other incident involved three crows swooping at me. One hit my hair.
I wasn’t the only person getting swooped at. Just the only one (that I know of) hit.
Unfortunately we'll probably never know what goes on in the minds of corvids. Maybe bring peanuts next time you go to that area as a peace offering 😅
Thank you for this thread. I’ll use the info to further my friendship with my neighborhood murder.
I’ve a question: has anyone figured out the point in Seattle that marks the territory line between which crows go to Bothell at night & which go to Renton?
And by a lot I mean hundreds, at least.
Rents in Seattle have gotten insane.
When I was in Baghdad, rooks liked to overwinter on the US Embassy grounds. So many of them.
I’m in the SF Bay Area so maybe they’re commuting to Sac. Because rent is outrageous here too 🙃
black eagles nested in the old quarry above our house on the mountain. I’ve long loved corvids too. Except when they gang up on raptors (as African black crows do). Steller’s jays great too!
wish we had crows locally but i’m always nice to them when i see them while traveling
I was called to travel almost three months for work and I’ve lost the murder of crows and ravens coming to eat!
Suggestions? TY
Think they’re mad at me and I’m desperately apologizing!
I’ve talked to crows & ravens since I was a young girl ( “hello- you’re so beautiful, it’s so nice to see you”, sort of thing), but never thought to befriend them like you describe… I’m excited to try & peanuts in shells is now on my grocery list!
I'm moving to a rural area soon where there's hopefully more crows and I want to befriend a crow so bad!
I think in both cases we were soaking the items hoping to soften them up
Now that I’ve moved, I must find a murder to feed.
I promise I did NOT look at them while scattering peanuts.
How long have they been away? I imagine they would come back….
Granted I may have missed their calls — returned to work schedule after three weeks of holiday / vacation / sick time. I’ll and maybe I’m so sad the 7 days after almost daily cnxn hits hard.
Thank you for replying ❤️
Is there anything I can do to persuade them to like me anyway?
It’s a desperate gambit, and one I don’t necessarily approve of, but they adore Cheetos.