Making peace with Crows

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I'm frightened of them. They are smart, and they seem to be attracted to me.

I'd like some advice on how to deal with them. How do you get them to leave you alone?

Ok, well, I've give a bit more info. The crows here are fat, plentiful, and not very afraid of people. But they more or less will leave you be. Nothing to be concerned over, unless you're a scaredy like me.

But I'm going further north for a visit soon. I've seen pictures and heard stories of the crows being as big as cats and dogs. Monstrous. And not afraid of people at all. They have free reign. I've even heard stories of the crows occasionally attacking people and animals (when they are alive Smile

.

I am freaked. I know logically that nothing will likely happen, but I will have to deal with co-existing with these guys. I don't want to be looking overhead constantly. Just want to feel a bit prepared, y'know.

Even some of the crows here don't fly away when I yell and open my arms at them. They seem to sense that they can bug me or something. Evil or Very Mad

They'll come flying up close to my head and over my shoulders. I know from experience that being aggressive with them doesn't work (they used to hang out near my apple trees, only riled them up if apples were thrown overhead). ...(and no, I don't try to hurt them, just want them to stay away).

Yeah, I realize this is a bit silly, but if there were one creature I had to say I truly fear it is crows.

What's the best way to act around them?
I know what to do if I encounter a bear, or a wolf, or other supposedly dangerous animals...but the crows are the ones worrying me.

thanks.

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I have never in my life witnessed aggressive behavior by crows (towards people) and the crow has always been one of my favorite birds.

Enormously intelligent for a winged creature.

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Never heard of a crow coming and attacking someone for their food? Shocked

I know, the fear isn't rational.

So, Gus, do you just ignore them or how to you get them to keep their distance?

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Maybe things are different in Japan

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flushd wrote:

So, Gus, do you just ignore them or how to you get them to keep their distance?

The crows around these parts must be considerably more docile than yours. Our crows will hastily depart when a human is in the area.

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Always so helpful, Gus. See, I tells ya, the crows are trying to take over!

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The crows in the north country begin to circle in a feverish anticipation of flushd's arrival....

http://www.sjbooks.com/Pix/mprty/crows.JPG

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flushd, I promise if you read "Crows: Encounters with the Wise Guys"
by Candace Savage, you will fall in love with them.

Here is the Amazon link:

Encounters with the Wise Guys

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Ok, I'll give it a shot. Thanks Greenwitch. You've never led me wrong before.

Smile

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flushd: Do you live in the city, the country? You may live near a pre-roosting site. Crows leave their roosts in the morning and fly to individual feeding sites. In the evening they meet at a pre-roosting site before flying en mass to their roosts. The pre-roosting site is like stopping off at a bar after work. That's when you see the crows playing, carrying on, and vocalizing like a bunch of drunks. If you're seeing a lot of crows in the evening it may be a pre-roosting site.

Like Gus, the crows I've seen are very shy of humans, and it's difficult to get them to come close even to take offered food.

http://jani.vikingmud.org/gallery/d/1728-3/6931_as_the_crows_fly.jpg

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coluber,

I live in the city, in a nice residential area. Plenty of trees, parks. I think you may be on to something there!

I appreciate the info. I've been watching, and I believe they have a roost in the park right by my apartment. In evening, I can see them like that pic you posted - a smaller bunch, but the same deal.

I'm actually starting to catch myself admiring the buggers. We're getting along much better.

They are so fat! Laughing

What I'd like to see now is a baby. That would be very cool.

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All the crows that I know are the size of cats or small dogs. Anything smaller than that you're probably confusing with a blackbird or a grackle. Does that help?

Ok, recognizing that phobias have no logic -- how about this: During nesting season in particular, I've noticed crows being chased and harassed by much smaller birds, especially their cousin, the blue jay. Pretend you're a jay.

(ssshhhhhh, don't anyone mention ravens!)

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I had a pet crow as a kid. His name was Murphy. He would intimidate the cat and we had a kennel full of Show Irish Setters who would leave Murphy alone.
He would follow me around, he hardly ever flew , hed have this really funny metronome gate interspersed with an occasional bunch of hops.

We would have show and tell at school and everybody would want me to bring Murphy in. He would take no **** but he liked to be stroked. If you took his food ( dog kibbles and hamburger) hed give out this gutteral rail and the really nail you with that beak.
He was housebroken and , although he lived on a perch my dad made in the basement, he would often come upstairs and wake me up for school(actually all he wanted was fresh breakfast)

He lived about 10 years until I was about ready for college. Hed walk around the neighborhood until at an advanced age some bastard ran over him with a car. Id heard that in captivity, they have lived for 20 or more years. Very intelligent animal (let alone bird).

Now ravens are the "dump chickens" of the north,untamed, fiercely aggressive and smart. If I were alone in the North woods and saw a flock of Ravens, I would be very afraid.

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Wow. Yeah, you guys are helping. I think I needed some edumacation on them!

farmerman, love the story. He actually was allowed in your house? yeesh.

Ok, ok, now Ravens I am clueless about. Didn't get a chance to have one pointed out to me...going to research.

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flushd, I have a fantasy: I see myself, and you, on a bed, twisting and turning, sweat pouring, labored breathing, crows circling overhead, and as I make the final thrust and scream my primal scream, you shout, "IT IS THE CROWS, GUSTAV!!! IT IS THE CROWS!!!"

Then, you turn on the bed and we, both of us, experience heavy breathing.

You scream, "Penetrate me, Gustav!!!.... Penetrate me!!!"

Then.... I pass out. I feel you.... and I am happy.

Take me, flushd. Make me whole.

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Well, the picture of Gus , naked, Shocked

. that did in any thoughts of dessert for me. Check please! Im gonna heave.

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flushd: Another point I forgot is that you may have been near some nesting crows when they attacked you. Having had bad experiences with mere Blue Jays and Mockingbirds when their young had fallen from their nests onto the ground, it's easy to see how an irate crow defending her nest or fledgling on the ground could strike fear in anyone's heart.

Still, I've always admired crows, because, for one, they never seem to fly "as the crow flies." They always fly in curves or up an down like they're kids having fun.

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farging crows, I've had them dive bomb my head and grab my hair whilst I was just walking down the street.

TWICE!!!

The 2nd time I was walking downtown, and all of a sudden this older Mexican gentelman, who apparantly didn't speak English stopped dead in his tracks and looked at a space above and behind my head, and screamed "AIEEEEEEEE!!!!" which is Spanish for, well, "AIEEEEEEEE!!!!!".

Then......BAM!

And I was in front of a CHURCH, which I don't know what that means.

I hate birds in general.

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@flushd,

I'm actually very afraid of them as well. I tried to shoo them out of my mango tree and it was the biggest mistake I ever made. Three months later and I still regret it. They swoop down to my head and neck and scream in my ear. Them pulled my moms hair and I know they're ready to attack the minute anyone steps out of the house! It's embarrasing when I have guests over! I want to know if animal control could get rid of them! They've become such a hassle and not to mention a DANGER!!! 😢😥😖

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@Lololol,

Thi thread is almost 10 years old and I just hd tear in my eye for my pet crow Murphy. I alsi wonder what happened to our other bird, GUS.
Someone said that GUS was really a famous philosopher, like you can do anything useful with that.

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Making peace with Crows

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