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.
Just don’t get caught feeding them lol, should be easy enough if you could do it from your backyard, and don’t overdo it because if all the crows in a 50 miles radius start nesting on your roof, people might start to notice.
Calling @CorvusCornix@piefed.social who so definitely a person and not a crow in disguise
Hmmm… seeing as food is the number one way to our- er, I mean, a Crow’s heart… you might be in trouble! But worry not, I’ll put in a good word with my brothers… I mean my local neighborhood Crows because I am definitely a human living in a house around other humans!
Gift them something shiny.
If I were a young parent I wouldn’t want something shiny, I’d want diapers.
I’d put out an array of snacks and see which one they pick first, then add more of that the next day.
If someone feeds my babies reliably and conveniently I’ll forgive them pretty quick.
They say it takes ten seconds to break trust but ten years to rebuild it, so OP is gonna have to play the long game.
Yeah, but… You’re not a crow.
Source?
I like to imagine crows as lazy.
You would think that… But they are very NOT lazy!
I don’t want them to become too dependent on me, in case it hurts their ability to find food on their own.
How much food would be reasonable but not excessive?
I wish I was a crow biologist so I could help you. But I know crows like peanuts, so maybe a peanut, an almond, and a pecan and go from there.
Interspecies communication has to start slowly.
I can confirm with firsthand experience that crows fucking love unsalted cashews. I don’t know if it’s the flavor, distinctive shape, or the texture, but there was a family of crows at my old house that used to go bugfuck wild when I gave them cashews.
I used to buy them in bulk as a snack, so I always had a lot on hand. I’d usually put them in a little plastic cup if I was going outside. One time I spilled some on the patio and didn’t bother cleaning them up. The next time I was outside and had a cup of them, that family of crows was extremely interested. I left a few on the patio as an experiment and went back inside. As soon as I was inside, they were on those cashews like flies on shit.
From then on, whenever I happened to take that plastic cup outside, I’d have a family of crows waiting for the traditional offering of cashews.
You can give them a lot. Birds are like humans they aren’t going to eat too much of the same thing. Even feeding birds in your backyard will only make up about 25% of their consumption. The rest they get from live bugs, berries, etc.
Fact
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!
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?
Not now, Unidan.
[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.]
Oops, you left your PBJ on the porch!
Fuck the bylaws!
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?
Peace offering. Try giving them bread (good one from bakery) but I’m no specialist
What kind of bread does a crow consider to be good? I know birds can’t taste spiciness, but that’s about it
Bread is bad for birds, don’t give them bread. Not only is it not nutritious for them, it expands and fills their stomach in a bad way. Better to do a search for “what to feed crows”, and check several sites since there is so much slop out there now, rather than ask random people here.
Bread
There was an account on Mastodon who tried a lot of things with crow. Sadly I didn’t found it.
From memory: « his » crow liked the one with crushed nuts
The ones in my neighborhood prefer unsalted peanuts.
bread bloats the bird’s stomach, other food would be better
This is about making peace, not long term care. Bread is absolutely fine
It isn’t. Don’t give birds bread. Berries, seeds, nuts, bugs are what they eat. They don’t eat bread.
Have you ever seen a bird in an urban environment? They absolutely eat bread
They absolutely eat bread
By “they don’t” the person you’re replying to means “they shouldn’t”.
Search for “bread” and “birds” to find thousands of web pages explaining why bread is bad for birds and you should not feed it to them.
See my edit.
I mean, ya gotta make amends. Give healthy food on a schedule so they know you’re committed. Perhaps leave a kindly note with a shiny bead.
Mealworms, for chickens, get a 10lb bag if you can, few other animals will go for them and crows love them. Unsalted peanuts in the shell because they like to break them open, but other animals will go after them too.
Just as an amateur naturist, based on what I’ve read, I’m thinking it would probably be useful for you to be proactive here and make friends with these intelligent animals, not just get along with them.
So I’d recommend doing a little research and following up, which I’m thinking might involve leaving them out some kind of preferred food on a regular basis, that kind of thing.
Naturism is a lifestyle and philosophical movement advocating for non-sexual social nudity. How is that related to crows?
It isn’t, of course. I’m pretty sure I was aiming for “naturalist” there, but yon ol’ brain fog kicked in.
Haha, no worries. Naturalist makes much more sense.
Just as an amateur naturist…
I’m not an expert in corvid behaviour either, but I doubt showing your naughty bits to crows is the best course of action.
They usually get a chuckle or two, so it’s all good.
Life in 2026 getting so bad the crows are extorting us now
It’s kind of like sharing a living space with someone-- good to put in a little effort to get along and be flexible rather than get off on the wrong foot and potentially antagonise them.
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.
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
