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Should You Feed Crows?

Should You Feed Crows?

Should You Feed Crows?

Are crows actually leaving gifts for people that feed them? Recently, we have fielded many questions about how and what to feed crows here in the US. This has been popularized by the concept that feeding crows encourages them to leave the person that feeds them gifts in appreciation. Is this so? Are corvids – the family of birds that includes crow, ravens, jay, magpies, and nutcrackers – who have been purported to have intelligence compared to a 5 year old child (let’s come back to that) capable of showing gratitude?

The answer is actually a bit more nuanced. Scientists started looking into if and why crows would leave items at feeding platforms beginning in the early 2000’s. Stories in the news as well as unverified social media posts began to pick up stories of trash trinkets or little twig “art” that would be left behind by crows when people would leave out food. What is important to remember is that corvids tend to pick up random objects and will creatively make things on their own. We have seen this with our ravens in the middle of guest experiences and training sessions, where instead of doing what we normally ask of them, Forrest the white necked raven will start stacking piles of wood or jamming a stick into another item, and Linus will take blocks from one puzzle and use them for another, even balancing them precariously. They will then hop over to us and look expectantly for food items.

So are crows leaving the items that they have picked up on their travels at the feeding platform because they got distracted by the food or are they leaving them to reinforce the person for feeding? While offering a “gift” outright is unlikely, the crows may have unintentionally left their little foraged treasures at a platform first. Because they do key into human behavior, they may have seen that leaving the items there led to more food being placed on the platform and repeated the action.

We chatted with Jennifer Campbell-Smith, who got her PhD studying crows and was interviewed for the Audubon article on the subject. As she says, it is an “amazing example of the way crows are really watching us and are mindful of us—and, in their own way, [are] data mining for the best way to manipulate us.” The other component that we both believe fervently is that it reveals how much humans want to connect with nature. This is a core component of why Avian Behavior exists.

It’s important for us to help people understand that nature exists on its own terms, that not everything sees the world through a human lens. We cannot ever assume intent, even in one another. We cannot assume that the crows are showing gratitude. At best, they are learning how to manipulate the world to make it the best for them, just as anyone else would.

This is also why we at Avian Behavior do not compare intelligence levels. A corvid cannot be compared to a human being. We have very different brains and bodies, so our ability to problem solve is uniquely different. Comparing everything in human terms or how it benefits humans leaves out worlds of fascination of how animals exist in and adapt in ways we cannot even imagine, as well as the challenges that they face.

And sometimes it’s not as altruistic as we think. One woman believed a raven was warning her of a bear one day as she stepped out of her cabin. It flew over her head and landed in a nearby tree and started calling incessantly. Disturbed, she went back inside. Moments later, the bear emerged from the other side of the yard of the raven. Was the bird calling to warn her? Again, we can’t know intent, but historically ravens have worked with other large predators to find prey. The raven benefits when wolves take down an elk or moose. Most people don’t realize that birds are often living on a razor’s edge when it comes to finding enough food, and they don’t have a lot of energy to waste saving others. While it’s a beautiful sentiment, and paying attention to the calls helped the woman, it can do more harm than good assigning human qualities to non-human animals.

And on that note, there are some serious cautions to address if you want to see if the crows in your area will leave their treasures. First, feeding wild birds can lead to the spread of diseases as they congregate at these stations. Avian pox and salmonella are common ones that spread at feeders. With Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu on the rise, these are areas of concern, especially if you can’t keep a clean and disinfected area that needs weekly cleaning. Second, corvids can get aggressive over a perceived threat. One client of ours found a crow hatchling covered in ants on his driveway and picked up and took it to a licensed rehabber. The crow family recognized his face and his car and would divebomb him for three years until he finally had to move.

Birds need all the champions that they can get, and we love that people want to connect. Discovering as much as you can about corvid behavior with curiosity and openness will go a long way to building this connection. Our model at Avian Behavior is about fostering this inherent desire to connect with the power of story and science to build a better world for birds.

Want to experience the intelligence and charisma of corvids up close? Our White-necked ravens are endlessly fascinating, from their problem-solving skills to their playful personalities. See for yourself just how incredible these birds are in our Exotic Bird Meet and Greet Experience, Ultimate Bird of Prey Experience, Elite Bird Experience, and Animal Trainer for a Day.

Book your experience today and witness firsthand what makes corvids some of the most captivating birds in the world!