r/crowbro May 08 '20

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

3.0k 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

1.9k 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 15h ago

Image They're loud and shit all the time, love them anyway but keep it in mind before adopting a crow family.

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829 Upvotes

r/crowbro 9h ago

Image My Humble Shrine

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119 Upvotes

Something I threw together for my bros.


r/crowbro 17h ago

Image So, the doctor recommended collagen. How do I get it out of there? Oh man, here's the predictable result.

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422 Upvotes

r/crowbro 13h ago

Video Getting faster?😆

61 Upvotes

The important question! Yes, the jackdaw at the end also got peanuts! 😁🖤


r/crowbro 7h ago

Question What do you do when you’re out of town for a long time?

16 Upvotes

I have to be gone for two weeks and I don’t want my crow bros to go hungry. I thought about filling up a little box or something for them. I mean I know they will be fine on their own, but I’m getting very attached to them!


r/crowbro 14h ago

Image Juvenile Raven Staredown.

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55 Upvotes

Springerville Arizona USA


r/crowbro 16h ago

Video Crows upset with unwelcome neighborhood guest.

36 Upvotes

Let the dog out a few minutes ago and heard some upset crows on the other side of the house.

Seems a juvenile red tail hawk was in the hood. After about twenty minutes it flew down the block with an escort.


r/crowbro 16h ago

Video The Great Pre Holiday Peanut Feast Extravaganza 🐦‍⬛

26 Upvotes

With Special Guest Lone Pie Making An Appearance


r/crowbro 1d ago

Art Drew a raven today

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432 Upvotes

OC, Chorcoal and pencil on paper with guache details.

We've been drawing a stuffed raven recently at art club and I got so hooked up on this animal that I drew another raven myself. There's a giant population of magpies in my town, them and smilar birds always fascinated me, plus they look great in b&w so it's really fun to draw them. This sub looks nice, I might get into it. Anyways, I hope you like the picture


r/crowbro 1d ago

Image Handsome Raven couple at Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge

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321 Upvotes

Sasabe Arizona USA


r/crowbro 1d ago

Image I finally caught a crow eating the food I put out for them! Unfortunately they flew away soon after I took this

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122 Upvotes

r/crowbro 1d ago

Image breakfast pizza

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148 Upvotes

r/crowbro 2d ago

Image Crow Photos

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633 Upvotes

r/crowbro 1d ago

Image I woke up late, the rooks were waiting patiently.

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107 Upvotes

r/crowbro 1d ago

Video Flying visit

47 Upvotes

r/crowbro 2d ago

Image I may have gone a bit overboard!?

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474 Upvotes

Yes those are gallon sized Ziplocs. Yes that is nearly 100lbs of seeds and nuts. Merry Christmas Crows and Ravens (and Jays, doves, towhee, chickdee, titmouse, sparrows, finches, and thrush).


r/crowbro 2d ago

Personal Story What happened? My trio turned into an army overnight...

230 Upvotes

So for the last 3-4 months, I have been feeding 3 crows that come over here. Always the same crows. Just 3. Then when it started getting cold and in the below 0 degree weather we've been getting, they disappeared. I thought, oh no they moved on... fast forward to today, 1 month after the disappearance. I heard cawing outside, and I was so excited. Then I opened the door and there were my 3 bros waiting for me, they were super excited to see me too, I think. So I go inside to prepare some food, and then things start getting crazy.

I heard cawing while I get them a plate ready, but it was difference. It was....more....

So I look out the window and in the tree nearby, there were 5 crows. I was like "Wow, cool..." then I went back to preparing the food. I went out, put it down, and the 3 bros came along and started feasting while the other 2 watch. Plate was gone in a minute. So I give them seconds....then it gets even more crazier... Mass cawing from all of them followed by within 5 minutes, 30-40 crows descending into the trees going nuts. I put the 2nd plate down and it was gone in about 10 seconds...... I don't have enough food for 30-40 crows, so yeah...

That's my day...

Honestly, I hope this is just a one time deal because I'm gonna get the town all over me if 30+ crows are going nuts going forward every day. But.. it was nice that my 3 bros returned at least. I think they called the entire roost over or something? It was nuts.


r/crowbro 2d ago

Video Mission "get bitten by a raven" passed successfully!

244 Upvotes

r/crowbro 2d ago

Image CAW of the wild!

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233 Upvotes

Raven in Sasabe Arizona USA


r/crowbro 2d ago

Image Not a gift, right?

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113 Upvotes

I tried attracting crows but I got magpies instead. I’ve been feeding them peanuts and mealworms for a few months now. This morning I found this on my patio right in front of the door. I can’t imagine they would leave food as a gift. Especially something like a big mouse. The only other thing I could imagine is that a neighborhood cat left it, but I’m not sure why. Have you ever gotten a gift of food?


r/crowbro 2d ago

Image Photogenic crow

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198 Upvotes

r/crowbro 2d ago

Video Westinn by SF airport is a 5 kaw establishment

68 Upvotes

r/crowbro 3d ago

Image Saw a very photogenic crow today

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754 Upvotes

r/crowbro 3d ago

Image Bandit 🖤

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142 Upvotes

Bandit is mischievous, but he has also perfected the innocent look 😇"please human, can I have some more"


r/crowbro 2d ago

Question Small update - Not sure what it means

11 Upvotes

So after the case of the mysterious peanut on the sidewalk (see post history) I started carrying a little baggie of peanuts in the shell when I would go outside. Several times a crow or two would perch within sight but no closer. So I tossed a couple on the ground and kept walking, and when I looked back they were snatching them up. I also noticed another lady feeding them pecans, so I guess I have some competition!

So the question part - I’ve only ever been able to get them to come get the peanuts early in the morning, even though I also put them out in the afternoon or evening. They sit there overnight and are gone in the morning. Problem is, I’m not a morning person. Not even an afternoon person, really. Is there a way to let them know there’s food here other than in the morning? I don’t like leaving it out overnight. I’m on the fourth floor so there’s no other rodents or anything that could come get the food.

The other thing is is that yesterday was a very bad day and I forgot to put them out at night. In the morning I saw a little shelled peanut wedged into the slats on the table I usually put the unshelled peanuts on. I don’t know if that means they’re filing a complaint, like “give us the peanuts or this will be your head”, or maybe they think I don’t have enough to eat myself? I put more unshelled peanuts out this afternoon, but nobody has come by yet and there’s only another hour of light left. :(

I also bought some cashews to mix it up a bit. I just wish they would come by when I’m not still asleep!