A family of corvids built their nest right by my door. I’ve enjoyed seeing their nest grow, and I think the babies are now full fledglings.
Up until now, we’ve each been going out separate ways. Aside from leaving them some sticks to use, I haven’t interacted with them directly.
Today I either closed the door too hard, or they got spooked by the garbage truck passing by. A crow dive bombed me twice, hitting me the first time and whooshing by me the second time. It didn’t hurt, but I’m offended that they don’t remember me.
I know crows can hold a vendetta and remember faces. Any tips on how to get back in their good graces?
edit: I looked into giving them food, but it’s against the bylaws in my city
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bird-feeding-vancouver-bylaw
A Vancouver resident who admittedly loves feeding the crows in his neighbourhood is now facing a major fine.
According to Reddit user DubUbasswitmyheadman, they’ve been feeding birds while walking their dog.
However, they claim that feeding the wildlife irritated enough people to prompt one neighbour to contact their landlord to collect their email and phone number.
DubUbasswitmyheadman now claims they are facing a $4,000 fine for feeding wildlife.
I was watering the garden and sheepishly decided to spray a crow (not my finest moment). It started dive bombing me regularly. So I gave it some banana and we were chill after that. It only took one offering. You could try giving it some soft material for it’s nest.
You don’t. Crows are the evil masterminds of the bird world, as any expert in bird law will tell you.
Do you happen to enjoy boiling denim, foraging naked in the sewers, and playing nightcrawlers?
Wait until the younglings are gone and then try to offer food on the reg. You need to be present. And be prepared for stubborn refusal.
They are smart birds to a point. If you leave some sticks out and then later they incorporate them into their nest, they won’t think oh this kind human did this for me. They needed sticks and took them. If you stay out of their feathers they’re not thinking oh this human is so respectful of my boundaries. They’re thinking this terrain is mine! So you’re operating on the assumption that you have some sort of getting along with the creatures credit that only exists in your mind. As far as the birds are concerned you were at best a dormant threat they could live with until something made you an active one and you got attacked. And now that’s all you are. And it’ll take time and effort to change that.
Fuck the bylaws!
As the others said, food. Specifically unsalted cashews. I called our (Dutch) bird rescue center and they said that’s the healthiest “human” food to give them.
I have three crow friends (and sometimes their buddies) who light on my balcony railing and wait for me to come out. One will eat it there while I’m watching; the other two fly it across the street to their stashes. All three will just sit on the railing and watch me work sometimes.
Sometimes the magpies show up, but they are super, ultra cautious around The Human. I can tell they know me though when they fly through the street. They make the happy magpie sound they make to their mates when one of them steals a cashew intended for the crows instead of being silent.
I get that this is illegal, but you do not have to give them a lot or make it obvious . One or two a day. You may not see them, but they will see and remember you as Cashew Guy/Gal/Nonbinary Pal.
Also alas, Unidan, where did you go?
Also alas, Unidan, where did you go?
Got banned for vote fraud. Less active after his fall from grace.
TIL there’s a Wikipedia article for Unidan
Not only are cashews healthy for them, they also go nuts for them (pun not intended, but I am delighted to have made an accidental pun). I forgot to mention “unsalted” in my comment, so I’m glad you mentioned it
No clue how exactly, but maybe you could also give them “toys” or things that are fun for them. Or shiny things that jingle or something lol. Or maybe build them a raised stand where they can land and look with a roof against rain. Or maybe even a birdbath?
Crows will eat cat or dog food (my local crows love the cat food we feed them!). If there aren’t laws against feeding stray cats, you could put a bowl on your porch with cat food and if you’re questioned, play innocent.
As an aside, if you want to identify the fledglings, look at their mouth. Baby crows have red/pink mouths while the adults have black mouths!
As an aside, if you want to identify the fledglings, look at their mouth. Baby crows have red/pink mouths while the adults have black mouths!
The one(s) in the nest have orange around their beaks, so that must be the fledglings. The one(s) that attacked me do indeed have black beaks!
I read that if you make friends with crows you become their bitch, they don’t take “no” for an answer after that. Your only option in the future may be to move.
Apart from food, look at what crows themselves give as gifts, e.g.
Oops, you left your PBJ on the porch!
If you go outside with a sandwich and accidentally drop that sandwich, then loundly proclaim your disappointment in your clumsiness, then go back inside, and the crows come down for the remains of your sandwich … and if this becomes a reguar occurrence … you can’t be fined for being clumsy. Can you?
It’d probably still count as littering, which would be fineable, I imagine
It depends on the judge
Give them a few unsalted peanuts. Don’t tell anybody
this is like crack to those birds. you don’t need to feed them daily or even that regularly for them to associate you
if this will make them less protective of their nest you’ll find out. please report back in one of the corvids communities.
it’s always good to have crow friends
Huh I had no idea we’re not allowed to feed crows.
I got dive bombed years ago one summer, after which I started bribing the crows with peanuts from my balcony. I started by just putting them on my railing, backing away and letting them see me as they grabbed them. Now they’re used to me and let me get pretty close, or come hang out when I’m out there.
They’ve got babies out front of my building this week and show no interest in me or my dog, but I see them bombing other people regularly.
Here’s the thing: you said it’s a crow, no one’s arguing that. But are we sure they aren’t jackdaws? They’re in the same family. Let’s get grackles and blackbirds in there, then, too.
As someone who is a scientist who studies crows, I am telling you, specifically, in science, no one calls jackdaws crows. If you want to be “specific” like you said, then you shouldn’t either. They’re not the same thing.
It’s okay to just admit you’re wrong, you know?
[for anyone who doesn’t get it this is the most famous comment from Unidan who was a scientist but, alas, drunk a bit too much of his own koolaid. Other than that, he was a very cool commenter.]
Not now, Unidan.
A crow dive bombed me twice, hitting me the first time and whooshing by me the second time. It didn’t hurt, but I’m offended that they don’t remember me
Dude, if they have a youngling and they attacked you/divebombed once, they were teaching the youngling to fly and wanted you to go away just in case.
If it continues, you can try to bribe them, if that doesn’t help you will have to chase them away. Preferably after the fledglings can fly.
I think you were right on the money. It was an isolated incident and I may have interrupted a flying lesson that day.
We have befriended them since that point. The summer is hot, and they know we will give them some water when we go out to tend to the garden
