Befriending Crows - Part 2

Tuesday, June 11
I set the dish out before 8am. Around 10:30, I came out to check, and the crows were in that area. Wanting to give them space, I went around the long way. As I came around the house, they started cawing and flying around. I grabbed the dish (it was empty), and they were active the whole time.

Minutes later, I went to my brother’s apartment, and they were still noisily flying all over. I came back out with his dog, and they quieted down some, but still visible. I noticed that the peanuts I’d left on the bench yesterday were uneaten, so I decided to set them out in the dish.

Meanwhile, Sunday I reached out to my friend, Susie. She has LOADS of experience with birds, including crows, and has mad skills when it comes to animal behaviors. Yesterday, she got back to me. She confirmed my idea of using the dish. With any wild animal, especially ones as devious as crows (her words), it’s best to keep association with humans at a minimum. She had several other helpful tips for engaging with the birds while keeping their shenanigans in check.

The crows ate the second set of peanuts, too. Since Susie advised that restricting the amount of treats will prevent the size of the group, currently a negligent homicide, to growing into a full-on murder, this will be the last time I give them a bonus treat.


Wednesday, June 12
Made breakfast BEFORE setting dish out, so that I could keep watch from the screened in porch while eating. I had the dish out earlier than previous days (730 instead of 830). They were cawing when set it down.

I saw now crows while watching. I eventually left because the sun became too much. 30-45 minutes later, I went to check. There were several narrow paths leading to and from the now empty dish. They began cawing when the bowl was retrieved and were generally active overall.


Thursday, June 13 
Had the dish out by 830, again after prepping breakfast. I saw and heard a few while talking to my mom, who was weeding in a bed maybe 20m from the dish. Although walking around in the vicinity, no crows were seen approaching the dish. It was still untouched after leaving for a few hours before removing it at 12:30. Mom reports seeing crows in that area when going back out to the garden, but left.

That evening, saw two chilling in the bird bath.


Friday, June 14
AM: No crows sighted, no peanuts taken.
Saw two in a different part of the yard that evening. Took dish out, scared them off.


Saturday, June 15
First visual confirmation of a crow taking the peanuts!!!

Woke to a text from my brother reporting that he heard crows at around 6:30am. I set dish out by 730, placing it within clear view of the living room window, so I could watch from inside the house. After 15-20 minutes, spotted one crow eating worms and things in the grass near the bowl. It showed curiosity about the dish, eventually hoping on the rim, taking a single peanut, and eating it! After the one, it went back to picking critters from the yard.

I was unable to keep watching, but when I went out an hour later, the dish was empty. The shell from the peanut I’d seen eaten was where the crow had left it.

During the retrieval, two crows started talking to each other as I got closer. The first to start cawing was in a tree in front of me. The one replying was behind me and to the right, in the largest oak tree in the front yard. They were 75-100m apart. They kept conversing the whole time, and I’m fairly sure I heard a third one in a third tree join in as well.


Sunday, June 16
All but one peanut was taken after ~2 hours. For the first time, all shells were next to dish. Was this from the one crow I saw eating the day before?


Monday, June 17
The first cloudy morning since beginning this experiment. I checked the dish after 60-90 minutes and no peanuts were taken. Heard a few caws at that time, so left it. All 6 peanuts were still there another hour later, when the dish was removed due to rain.

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