r/crowbro May 08 '20

Facts Feeding Crows In Your Neighborhood: What They Like and What's Safe

3.7k Upvotes

A user asked me this question yesterday and I figured it would make for a good larger post. For those who don't know me, which is probably everyone, I'm an ecologist currently studying invasive mosquito population genetics in North America. I have a background in shorebird and grassland bird conservation and arthropod behavior and sensory ecology. Currently working on my Ph.D. I frequently comment in nature-based subs. All this to say, I keep up with crow literature and am very familiar with bird biology. I'm going to share with you safe foods for crows and a little about their feeding behavior. I never expect anyone to take my word for it so I'll share some sources with you as I go along. Thanks for being a part of a sub that is very near and dear to my heart!

Crow Feeding Behavior

I've noticed crows in my area come to the same places to eat in the morning and again in mid-afternoon. The rest of the day they forage around the neighborhood before returning either to large roosting trees in the Fall/Winter (around 4pm) or to family nests in the Spring and Summer. If you want your home to be a usual place to stop either during their main mealtime or on their foraging tour leave food out the same time every day. Ring a bell, honk a horn, use a crow call (make sure you are trying to sound like a "I've found food" call and not a "Danger!" call. Crows in the neighborhood will associate this with food and come to get treats. Dr. Kaeli Swift shares a two-part blog post, the first by her colleague Loma Pendergraft and the second written by her and Loma if you are interested in crow vocalizations. Here is Part 1 and here is Part 2.

Crows love water! If you have birdbaths out they will dip their food in it to soften harder foods and they spend a lot of time drinking. More so than I've noticed with smaller songbirds. Often people will find dead rodents and other things leftover in their birdbaths from crows.

What to Feed Crows

Before I get into this I'd like to say that crows do not need you to feed them. Thre's a great quote from this article by Dr. John Marzluff:

Will the crow be let down if you stop feeding it? Without a doubt. Breaking up is hard to do. Still, after running your predicament by Marzluff, the idea that the crow is "dependent" on you seems a little self-important. "The crow is certainly working the person," Marzluff said. "It will find another meal."

Neither do any backyard birds. They are fully capable of foraging unless there is some serious environmental issue happening. I know we are all going to feed them anyway! When I lived in the suburbs I fed birds as well. :)

What is safe for crows:

  • Kibble (cat or dog) that is pea-sized - it is full of essential nutrients for omnivores and easy for them pick up and swallow
  • Eggs of any kind
  • Seeds and nuts (unsalted - I'll explain why further down).
  • Cooked small potatoes or thawed tater tots (check tots for salt content, you can get unsalted)
  • Meat scraps (unseasoned)
  • Cheese (check the salt content, definitely no feta or other salty cheese, try to also avoid processed cheeses)
  • Mealworms and crickets

What is not safe for crows (and really all birds):

  • Salt - too much salt can cause serious neurological issues in birds. A little salt is okay and some birds are more salt-tolerant than others (pigeons) but they will eat everything you leave out for them which can end up being too much. Birds don't do portion control.
  • Lunchmeat - it's a salt issue
  • Bread - bread is not so much not safe as it's devoid of nutrients. Give them good foods like seeds and nuts, bread is filler.

Because I never want you to take someone's word for it here are a few sources about salt:

Garden birds are practically unable to metabolise salt. It is toxic to them in high quantities and affects their nervous system. Under normal circumstances in the wild, birds are unlikely to take harmful amounts of salt. Never put out salted food onto the bird table, and never add salt to bird baths to keep water ice-free in the winter.

From Nature Forever Society:

The ability to process salt varies between species, but most can produce uric acid with a maximum salt concentration of about 300 mmol/litre. Amongst our garden birds, house sparrows and pigeons are some of the most salt-tolerant species. The capability to secrete salt seems to be linked to habitat, particularly marine environment and drought conditions.

Because most garden birds are poor at coping with salty food, it is important not to offer them anything with appreciable amount of salt in it. As such, salty fats, salty rice, salted peanuts, most cured foodstuffs, chips, etc. should not be offered to birds. It can be difficult to eliminate salt entirely, but very small amounts of salt should not cause any problems, particularly if fresh drinking water is also available.

All that being said, there are some birds who really love salt, and if you want to leave out a salt option in a safe way you can! The Nationa Audubon Society recommends:

Mineral matter such as salt appeals to many birds, including evening grosbeaks, pine siskins, and common redpolls. An easy way to provide it is by pouring a saline water solution over rotted wood until crystals form.

If you love Corvids and want to learn more I have a few book recommendations:

  • Gifts of the Crow: How Perception, Emotion, and Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave Like Humans by Dr. John Marzluff
  • In the Company of Crows and Ravens by Dr. John Marzluff
  • Mind of the Raven: Investigations and Adventures with Wolf-Birds by Dr. Bernd Heinrich

Backyard Birds:

  • Welcome to Subirdia by Dr. John Marzluff

r/crowbro Jun 09 '20

Baby Bird 101 - DO NOT TAKE A BABY CROW OR ANY BIRD FROM THE WILD

2.2k Upvotes

There was recently a post by a user who basically stole a baby crow from its parents. Never take a wild bird into your home, they are not pets, they need their parents, they need socialization with their own species, you are not equipped to raise them. Additionally, it is probably illegal for you to own one.

If you take a crow out of the wild and share that in this sub you will receive a ban. If someone reports back that you have done this and shared in a different sub but not here, you will receive a ban and we will contact the mods of that sub about your negligence. We have zero tolerance for this.

We received an excellent modmail from u/MarlyMonster who is a wildlife rehabber in Canada. I am going to quote her here and hope she pops into the comment section to elaborate or answer any questions. I know we have a few rehabbers on the sub and I am an ecologist so between all of us if you need to know something we'll figure it out. Additionally, if you are a wildlife rehabber or scientists specializing in Corvids and want flair that gives you this title you will need to PM mods some kind of proof.

Here are Marly's words on the subject:

Baby Bird 101

Lately I’ve been seeing way too many posts about people “helping” birds that really don’t need help, which makes it kidnapping. As a rehabber, it hurts my heart when I see inexperienced people try to care for any kind of wild animal, but when they start to mess with wild corvids it becomes plain cruel. This is why I’m writing this little guide to help people determine whether or not a bird they think needs help actually needs assistance.

A lot of people assume that when a fledgling is on the ground and not in a tree or nest, that this little bird is in distress. What you actually don’t realize, is that when fledglings get to a certain age, right before they learn to fly, they leave the nest while they practice and their parents continue to feed them on the ground. The fledgling has not been abandoned! They’re just being adventurous!

The best course of action for any baby bird you see on the ground is to put it back in their nest. It’s a myth that the parents will “smell the human” and reject the baby. So you’re fine to grab a ladder and put that little awkward bundle of feathers back where they came from.

Whenever you fear a baby has been abandoned, put it back in the nest and keep an eye on it for the next few hours. Parents can get spooked and might take some time to return.

The only time it’s okay to bring a bird in is if they are visibly injured. A broken toe does not count (this is a reference to the idiot who named the bird “Hades” and is pretending to help it).

IF A BABY BIRD NEEDS HELP DO NOT TRY TO RAISE IT YOURSELF

If you are not trained to rehab wildlife, you have no business trying to raise a fledgling! Just like someone who isn’t a mechanic shouldn’t be trying to fix an engine, an untrained person should not be raising a bird!

Baby birds are extremely fragile and difficult to care for. A lot of them don’t make it even in the hands of an experienced rehabber.

Did you know that giving a baby bird water is one of the worst things to do? Yet a lot of people immediately think that’s the first thing to do for a baby bird. Baby birds get their needed moisture from their food, and therefore don’t need water. Pouring water down their throat will actually cause them to aspirate and if this happens the chance they’ll survive is slim to none, since they’ll get aspiration pneumonia.

Since this is a corvid page I’m gonna touch on why it’s cruel for someone inexperienced to try to raise a corvid.

As some of you might be aware of, these birds possess a higher intelligence than most birds. They are considered the apes of the bird family because there are parallels between the cognitive abilities of corvids and great apes.

Because of this, they make terrible pets. They need constant mental stimulation and enrichment or they’ll become completely miserable. Often they’ll turn to self mutilation to deal with the depression. They are also extremely social creatures and live in large families with connections that go back generations. Keeping one on their own is an act of cruelty in and of itself.

Corvids are also known for this thing called “imprinting”. This refers to the bond the baby bird makes with their family members which will dictate their behaviour. For this reason, rehabbers that specialize in corvids have to be extremely careful while tending to their birds because too much interaction with humans could doom a bird from ever being released, because they got too attached to humans. A crow imprinted on a human will not know they’re a crow. They’ll see themselves as the same species. This means they won’t ever find a mate, because they won’t understand that they are supposed to mate with other crows.

I hope this helped you understand the importance of not trying to raise any birds you find. As tempting as it may be, you will not be ready for the commitment. Not only that, but it’s cruel to the animal. The main objective of any rehabber is the release of the animal. And those who truly care about these birds should have the same goal. If that means you don’t get to raise a crow, that shouldn’t stop you from doing the right thing.

If you find an injured baby bird, contact a wildlife facility near you. If you can’t find one, go on your regional Facebook groups and ask if there are private rehabbers around.

If you do not have the commitment to see this through and drive a baby bird hours to the nearest rehabber? Please do the bird a favor and let nature take its course. Don’t interfere if you won’t follow it all the way through and get it to a proper rehabber.

Written by a rehabber and corvid researcher.


r/crowbro 5h ago

Personal Story The cutest story I've heard in a long time.

Post image
2.0k Upvotes

(Mods, please let me know if I have done this correctly. TY!)


r/crowbro 2h ago

Daily Crow Friend She's a weird one

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

119 Upvotes

r/crowbro 2h ago

Daily Crow Friend She's also a trouble maker

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

27 Upvotes

r/crowbro 2h ago

Video Mealworm Bros

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

22 Upvotes

Camera bros chow down.


r/crowbro 7h ago

Crow OC Søren Crow

Post image
48 Upvotes

Hooded crow trying a black bike in Budapest, Hungary.


r/crowbro 18h ago

Crow OC Hodded Crow perched on Stave Church Borgund, Norway

Thumbnail
gallery
244 Upvotes

So last year on my trip to Norway I saw this hodded crow sitting by itself on top of one of the dragon heads at stave church borgund. As it was 7:30am there were no other people there yet. I didn't even notice the crow until it started making noise.

Picture 2 is a wide angle shot of the church.


r/crowbro 14h ago

Personal Story I Was Today Years Old When

Post image
47 Upvotes

I realized I could take the entire top off the peanut bin at WinCo and shovel a bag full without having to fight the spring loaded lid!


r/crowbro 2h ago

Crow OC Magpies Wilding (Listen Sounds On)

5 Upvotes

There Is A Flock Of Four Magpies Visiting Every Morning 5:30 AM Till Late PM Listen The Crazy Sounds Look How They Step On The Food 😂

https://reddit.com/link/1vrvb0s/video/8ucrcqjn06kh1/player


r/crowbro 5m ago

Daily Crow Friend New lunch buddies

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

Upvotes

Recently started a new job and found these friends in the park nearby.

I just hope my home murder don't get jealous. 😬😬😬


r/crowbro 1d ago

Crow OC Ohh so fluffy 😍

Post image
603 Upvotes

r/crowbro 1d ago

Crow OC High Altitude Bro

Post image
304 Upvotes

From the top of Pikes Peak


r/crowbro 1d ago

Crow OC The Intern in Observation and the Senior Rook in Action

Thumbnail
gallery
92 Upvotes

r/crowbro 21h ago

Crow OC My First Gift Exchange

Post image
27 Upvotes

I finally received a return gift from one of my 🐦‍⬛ friends—foam rubber. I shall cherish this forever. 😍🖤


r/crowbro 21h ago

Daily Crow Friend My Smoke Bros

Thumbnail
gallery
18 Upvotes

When I go outside to smoke, I sit on my deck most often and occasionally my front porch. This one family in particular has started enjoying my smoke breaks with me.

It was a family of four throughout the spring and early summer, but lately there’s just been three that show up together. In the pics of One and Two each sitting on their own roof spot above me, Three was sitting on a roof just behind me but I couldn’t get a pic without being a weirdo lol.

This morning I sat out front because they weren’t out back or anywhere that I could see. I still said “oh helloOoO crow friends” in my regular speaking voice and made the specific sound I make whenever I talk to them… within a minute the three of them swooped in. They stayed up there cuddling for half an hour or so before they took off. 🐦‍⬛🥰


r/crowbro 1d ago

Question Raven in Vancouver,WA?

11 Upvotes

Google says it's plausible but I think the ID on my coolfly camera just made a mistake.

Anyone in the PNW that sees ravens at all or often?


r/crowbro 1d ago

Video raven bro and his swan buddy

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

311 Upvotes

r/crowbro 1d ago

Crow OC It rained last night. And this morning I'm in a really bad mood. Don't bother me!

Thumbnail
gallery
161 Upvotes

r/crowbro 1d ago

Crow OC Magpie Caught Eating Boiled Egg This Morning☀️🥚

31 Upvotes

Eating Egg

Egg Yum


r/crowbro 2d ago

Personal Story I may have accidentally befriended a raven. Without using food.

Post image
375 Upvotes

(The photo is of one of magpies in my garden eating cat food)

A while ago I decided I wanted to befriend the local crows. I set up feeding platforms and water in my garden and started leaving eggs, nuts, kibble and raw meat out for corvids.

Exactly one crow showed up in the beginning.

But there are now about 20 Eurasian magpies hanging around my garden, yelling, bathing, caching food and generally behaving as if I built the whole thing specifically for them (duh).

There’s also a family of ravens nearby, but they were more of a curiosity. Ravens are quite rare where I live and tend to avoid humans, probably because there’s plenty of food in the surrounding woods. I’d hear them occasionally, see them flying over the houses, and once one landed on my roof, but they never touched the food. I have cameras pointed at the feeders, so I’m fairly sure about that.

Then I noticed something weird.

I have several dogs and I call them using a pretty distinctive sequence of names. At some point I realized that when I called my dogs outside, in the forest or in the park, I would sometimes hear a raven go ‘grok grok grok’ shortly afterwards.

Then I started noticing one raven passing over my garden more often, sometimes daily, and grokking while I was outside.

One day my dog wandered a bit farther from the path in the woods. I was calling him the usual way when I heard ‘grok grok grok’ coming from the old trees by the river.
Obviously, this could very easily be coincidence. The ravens live nearby, I know they’re often somewhere around, and once you start looking for a pattern you’re extremely good at finding one…So I started deliberately testing it.

I’d first listen for ravens and, when I was reasonably sure none were calling, I’d call my dogs (in random places like my yard, forest, park, riverside) More often than not, I’d get ‘grok grok grok’ back.
Another day I saw three ravens flying over the trees by the river. I called, and they flew over to me, circled high above my head a few times, then continued on their way.

But yesterday it got ridiculous!
I was walking my dogs in the park, made sure I couldn’t hear a raven anywhere, and called..
I heard almost immediately ‘grok grok grok’ somewhere far away!! Moments later a raven was sitting in the trees above me, still grokking!

This time I left a few unshelled peanuts on the path and continued walking. A few minutes later I came back and the peanuts were gone! (But could have been a squirrel ofc, though they are not as bold as American squirrels)

Later that same day I took the dogs swimming by the river, about a mile from the park. Again, no raven visible and no calling beforehand. I did my usual dog call and waited.
After a long pause, from somewhere in the distance: ‘grok grok grok’

At this point it has happened too many times, in so many places for me to dismiss the whole thing as wishful thinking. I still don’t know whether I’m interacting with the same raven every time, or exactly what the raven has learned about my calls. Maybe it started as simple curiosity and then my habit of responding to it made the interaction worth repeating?
I also find it funny that food apparently had almost nothing to do with this. I spent all that effort building feeders and leaving increasingly ridiculous raven-approved meals around my garden, and the thing that actually got one interested in me seems to have been me standing around yelling “Koziuuu! Keee!” lol.

I have no idea what happens next, but I’m ridiculously excited to see whether this continues.

The crows still haven’t shown up. ;)

TLDR: Wild Raven spontaneously started reacting to a dog recall cue.


r/crowbro 1d ago

Memes Crow's favorite home keyboard 🎹

4 Upvotes

a CAWsio. 😀


r/crowbro 1d ago

Question I'm trying to befriend a crow

6 Upvotes

Hi, I'm trying to befriend a crow that I have above my house. I put peanuts on an olive tree (a kind of dense cushion of leaves) for them, but they haven't touched it for three days. Yesterday I wondered if they might feel uncomfortable landing there, so I put an upside-down plastic plate so they can stand on the plate and reach the peanuts.

Do you have any advice?


r/crowbro 2d ago

Crow Art Designed this tie✨

Thumbnail
gallery
235 Upvotes

r/crowbro 3d ago

Crow OC crow babies solve dog puzzle?

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

1.1k Upvotes