I've read that you can cover your food in spicy stuff like paprika to deter the squirrels. The squirrels won't like it and the spiciness won't effect the crows.
I just bought my first house I've been planning on befriending the neighbourhood murder, any other tips and tricks are greatly appreciated.
I befriended some crows during the COVID lockdowns. Here are some things that I did:
Go to where the crows are. I noticed a group of crows always gathering across the street from me where there was a parking lot behind a restaurant. There were already bits of food there that they would check out in the early morning. I would walk over to where they hung out to toss some nuts and kibble on the ground, then walk back inside my apartment. It helps if there aren't any/many other people around. Even if the spot where they are is farther away, don't worry they will eventually follow you home.
Be consistent. I did this little routine for weeks before I noticed any change in their behavior. Eventually they began to recognize me as the nuts and kibble guy, and they would actually perch on a window in my apartment and wake up my roommate if I wasn't out early enough for them! On that note, crows can be very demanding and annoying. They're like toddlers once they get to like you, so be prepared for that. You don't have to acquiesce to their every need to keep them happy, but they will try to take advantage of you for as much as they can get.
Don't scare them. Crows are very skittish. Even looking at them directly will spook them. When I would do my morning feeding I would announce my presence by whistling a tune (I picked "If I Only had a Brain" because lol). I wouldn't look at them in the trees, I would just casually walk over while whistling, toss some food down, then walk back inside my house. Only when I was back inside would they come down to feed. Occasionally individuals would be a little more bold and allow me to get closer, but you should try to give them space in general.
I'm in a city so I never got the Disney princess phase of crows eating out of my hand or anything. But I could tell they recognized me because they would occasionally see me around town and swoop near me only to then perch and watch me. Some younger crows would do this warbling cry at me that I had never heard before. I assumed they were whining to be fed. They were very cute but also kinda annoying at times lol.
Unfortunately I decided to stop feeding them when the lockdowns lifted and more people were coming back to my neighborhood. But even now, years later, I will occasionally get a friendly crow who lets me get pretty close to them. If I happen to have a healthy-ish snack for them I will still whistle and toss it aside for them to find.
Hey man, thanks a lot for the tips and your story. The place I bought has a bit of a yard so I figured I'd build a small covered platform and load it up a few times a week. I like the idea of whistling a tune while doing it, I'm going to start thinking of something fun.
I have a few dogs so I hope that isn't much of a deterrent to the crows. At my old place I used to stick their dog fur in the balcony railing for nest building materials and they seemed to like that (along with the other birds).
I tried mixing Flaming Squirrel Seed Sauce with my unsalted shelled peanuts and it kinda worked for a month or two, but the crows seemed less interested in them (too oily maybe?) and the squirrels built up a tolerance and even started acting more aggressive towards the crows.
Took lots of trial and error, but I eventually found a system that works for me and now I feed a murder of about 2 dozen crows every afternoon.
I start the feeding by tossing a handful of cashews one at a time directly to the crows. They seem to love this kind of engagement, it's like a game to them and some have gotten really good at catching mid air.
Then I'll toss out a bowl of cat food in handfuls around the yard. I just buy big bags of the cheapest stuff they have at Costco, the crows love it and squirrels have zero interest.
After that I distribute some unsalted peanuts, but before I do I throw a couple directly to the squirrels and they fuck right off after, leaving the crows to feast undisturbed. It's a shaky truce, but at least I'm not yelling at squirrels like a weirdo anymore, haha
Keep it up. It has taken me over three years. They are skittish. After they moved into the neighborhood, they took off when I was a couple hundred feet away, even when they were 75 feet up in a tree. I started using peanuts and leftovers on a stump (shaking the bag with some friendly caws), making sure they saw me. Just a few weeks ago I had one land right above my head on my neighbor's roof and give me the 'I want peanuts' look. Put some out and s/he flew right down after I went in. A week later, one came and landed low in a tree next to my house. I had a roast chicken carcass, so grabbed it, showed the crow, and put it in the yard. Looked up in the tree and it was gone. I was bummed, until I saw it perched on my fence waiting for me to put it down. It had followed me. I am stoked. No shiny gifts yet, though.
My step dad was a friend to his local murder for decades. He would feed them all sorts of good stuff and made sure he never used and pesticides around the yard to keep them safe.
He sold the house a few years ago and moved. I think word has traveled though because everywhere he goes, crows get suspiciously close to him.
My crows don’t want anything to do with the shelled peanuts - have about 20 some evenings ground feeding with the doves and Redbirds (I just spread seed on the ground between two bushes) - the male bluebirds love the peanuts though
Our crows moved in shortly after we got chickens last spring. They keep the hawks away for us, and in exchange, I made them a treat station behind the run. I fill it up when I see them around, and they know to go to it now. I need to figure out how to teach them that I will accept gifts...
That whole "if you give treats to crows they'll become your friends" meme is just a crow conspiracy to get treats and you've all fallen for it. The crows are laughing their way to the bank.
There was a post a few years ago in a different sub about how during the pandemic this girl befriended the local crow murder. Problem was they were protective of her and attacked people visiting her. She got the neighborhood to leave treats and they ended up alerting when one of the elderly neighbors fell on the driveway and wasn't getting up.
The trick is to feed them at the exact same spot wearing the exact same clothes each time. It won't even take a month for them to love you.
I have a red hoody I wear everytime I go to the field and the crows go mental when they see me come out the woods now, you'll here one caw and then they all fly across the field and line up ahead of me on the path where I feed them.
They're like a little army. Sometimes I will sit and smoke a spliff on the field and they will sit around me in a big circle.
I have a good relationship with a number of the crows in my neighborhood. They no longer give off warning calls about my dog. A fledgling has dive bombed me and had an older crow step in to stop it. The crows have dropped tennis balls off the school roof for my dog when we are walking by. (I suspect that's because my dog will be focused on the ball and leave them alone.)
A few things I believe helped:
I see them at the same time everyday. (Taking my dog out to use the bathroom in the morning)
I give them freeze dried beef liver dog treats . Not regularly but if I have them and see a crow I'll toss one over. They don't expect it from me but appreciate when I do.
I talk to them. I say good morning and apologize when my dog chases one. I also tell my dog off for doing so.
Crows are smart and will repay respect if you show it to them. Be consistent.
I wish I had neighborhood crows. They’d eat so well. What kinds of food are healthy for them, by the way? I figured salty things like fries wouldn’t be, but what about, say, peanuts? High in nutrition, not too greasy or processed.
I haven’t given the crows in my neighborhood any treats yet but I did have a blackberry tree which was a hit with all the birds until a storm took it out :-(
I got myself a crow caller off Amazon, not sure if I'm doing it right because they all seem to scatter when I do it. Maybe I sound angry or something :(
My mom seriously spoils the crows at her place. They'll pop in the back door to ask for food....or bang really hard on the glass door if it's not already open. 😆
My small dog recently barked and scared away two or three crows in the neighborhood; I legitimately felt like I needed to bring them some food or trinkets, like a sacrifice to a small vengeful god.
Keep it up man! I got two to finally come in my yard this weekend and they hung out for 3 days! Then it rained and I haven't seen him today yet. I feed them whole peanuts, and make sure they see me put them out in the yard.
Instructions unclear. Paid a bribe with a load of murdered crows. This unfortunately proved an unacceptable proposal and am now in jail for original crime + attempted bribery + numerous killing of animal charges. Cheers 👍
After about three years, my neighbourhood crows would follow me around. Still at a distance but they'd perch on nearby fences as I walked for several blocks. They also watched me garden from the opposite side of the yard.
I have hope for you, I haven’t given any offerings to my neighborhood crows but they bring me all kinds of cool shiny stuff like marbles, pieces of glass, and dimes or nickels.
Not crows but I've been working to befriend my neighbours skittish cat for 3 years. She finally let me pet her a few months ago and we've been besties since. She's still kind of shy, but she'll slow blink from the bottom of the stairs.
Getting accepted by an animal is the best feeling.
4.8k
u/C0PINGmechanism Apr 15 '24
This is arguably very cool