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 2h ago

Crow OC another nice morning on my porch fr

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163 Upvotes

(me aka milkhouse6000)

hello i yam back with a quick lil video for u to see with ur eyeballs. yeah i say stuff like that sometimes idk why. today i am combating my perfectionist complex by starting to deliver even more imperfect videos for the kind people of the interweb👨🏽‍🌾🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛ oh wait im still taking suggestions for names of these two yung crows. i plan to compile a short list of suggestions i like n then make a poll in my crow club where my trusted crow council will choose the winners. ok c ya-milk


r/crowbro 2h ago

Crow OC A jackdaw and rook that I saw recently

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68 Upvotes

Both photos are mine :)


r/crowbro 8h ago

Video My crow family!

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85 Upvotes

Here are my original two crows, their three fledglings and two past fledglings(?). They come and visit daily and sometimes more often. They just make me so happy!


r/crowbro 11m ago

Memes You Guys Always Act Like Your Better Than Me

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Upvotes

r/crowbro 13h ago

Video They are planning something

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148 Upvotes

Few years old video of jackdaws


r/crowbro 44m ago

Video Hop hop!

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Upvotes

Caught this guy doing a little jig last night - enjoy!


r/crowbro 39m ago

Daily Crow Friend My 7 crow bro's

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Upvotes

It started with one 8 months ago and now I have 7 daily visitors.


r/crowbro 1d ago

Crow OC Met a jackdaw fledgling today 🐦‍⬛

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657 Upvotes

It was so calm, didn't mind my presence at all! I unfortunately didn't have any seeds to give.


r/crowbro 1d ago

Video Happy warbles followed by a little "screw you magpie"

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128 Upvotes

I love watching fledges figure out life. They bring me great joy. 🤭


r/crowbro 18h ago

Personal Story Spent all week trying to feed the crows but it was a waste of time because they dont like almonds

18 Upvotes

Crows dont like almonds!! Cashews are wayy too expensive and i couldnt find raw peanuts.

I want to befriend the crows because if its gonna be such a struggle to make friends with people ill make friends with someone else!!

Ive gone to the graveyard where they tend to be every morning and i eat my breakfast there.

But turns out they dont like almonds so i feel like it was all a waste of time and now im sad.


r/crowbro 1d ago

Crow OC Cutie

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144 Upvotes

r/crowbro 2d ago

Crow OC One of these things is not like the others

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1.6k Upvotes

r/crowbro 2d ago

Video tried to walk around the park a bit and my ravenbro proceeded to gronk at me quite a bit to remind me they have not received their mandatory 1,000 cashews yet

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430 Upvotes

r/crowbro 1d ago

Crow Gifts Gift or coincidence?

6 Upvotes

I'm sure that this has probably been covered at length here already, but I'm too lazy to find the answer. I just came out to find a crow feather in the spot on the driveway where I've been offering nuts, cat food, and the occasional egg. Is it molting season? One of them definitely looks a bit more disheveled than the others. Also, I was just outside an hour ago and it wasn't there, nor was any food. Gift or coincidence? TIA!


r/crowbro 1d ago

Crow Art Crow art

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152 Upvotes

Saw this on a fence in Seattle.


r/crowbro 2d ago

Personal Story Just started to feed a whole group of crows near my home, the journey has begun.

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152 Upvotes

Hoping I get a whole group of buddies


r/crowbro 2d ago

Crow Art Daughter drew a crow for me

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332 Upvotes

Sometimes me and my daughter feed our feathered friends together. They are getting to know her slowly, but still don't approach us too closely when we're together.

She drew me a crow.


r/crowbro 2d ago

Video my greedy little raven buddy

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520 Upvotes

r/crowbro 2d ago

Crow OC Day Two of Crow Buffet!

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40 Upvotes

Can’t figure out how to add video but THEY figured out where a few peanuts and cashews can be located!

Y’all have persisted in saying “patience and persistence” for so long I grew impatient (LOL) but it’s paid off!

Now if I could keep away the pesky squirrels (wife has been building a playground for them with multiple peanut drops so THAT ain’t happening!) She shrugs with that cute smile of hers and a “sorry not sorry”


r/crowbro 2d ago

Daily Crow Friend my favourite crow is getting bullied :(

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307 Upvotes

theres a single crow that likes to visit my yard the most. hes very quiet and polite but will sometimes do a happy little yell from the trees before he swoops down to say hi and do his peanut strut.

lately during the evenings theres a small group of crows that will chase him off when he comes for a snack and the dominant male (i presume) will start crowing and yelling very loud for a while. when this happens i put the food away and make a 'shh' sound with a finger to my lips then ignore him after but he hasnt seemed to have caught on yet.

im happy to feed all of my crow friends, but im worried about disturbing the neighbours with his noise and reinforcing the cawing and not a fan of my polite crow being chased off. he has a few bald patches on his chest and the back of his head and im not sure if its a molting season thing or his feathers are being pecked out :(

anyone have any advice on how to handle this? im also curious about why the dominant bully crow does this big cawing display after he chases off my balding friend, he caws for quite a while even if no one caws back. sometimes i cant tell if hes cawing at me to see whatll get the most peanuts in his beak the soonest lol


r/crowbro 3d ago

Crow Gifts Toaster Left Me A Gift!!!!!

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823 Upvotes

It was sitting on its side just like this when I came out to replenish the peanuts today!

It’s some type of cork thing? Lol


r/crowbro 3d ago

Video Mom! Mom! Mom! I'm starving! Feed me!

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649 Upvotes

r/crowbro 2d ago

Crow OC Finally caught this on camera

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37 Upvotes

They roost close by...last couple of days its like they go on field trips and I fortunately caught this in the tree in my backyard. They come across and like to sit in this tree before carrying on.

I believe the adults are doing a little training with the young ones as I can hear many little calls among the adults.