Fruits and Seeds
Seeds and fruits make up nearly three-quarters of the American Crow's diet. This includes: corn, wheat, oats, chokecherries, Poison Ivy, pistachios, grapes, Red Osier Dogwood fruits, Bittersweet Nightshade berries, pecans, and watermelons, among other things.
Crows and ravens have a particular liking for grapes, soft fruits, potatoes, nuts and grains. They remove fruit directly from trees, land on trellises which collapse under their weight, and despite their size, can perch directly on stalks of grain, snapping off plants such as wheat and sorghum.
They ain't picky, but internet crow experts recommend feeding them nuts, eggs, scraps of meat, or dog and cat food. I'm going with scraps of meat because I like crows who are bloodthirsty. Place your food in an open area that can be seen from the air, preferably with something shiny around it.
If your friendship with crows is based on food they remember your generosity and bring their friends. Lots of friends. They can be quite demanding and don't understand when you stop feeding them. Not everyone appreciates this.
Offer Food and Water. The way to earn any wild animal's trust is by feeding them. Crows are opportunistic omnivores, and they eat almost anything from insects and berries to pet food, roadkill, and vegetables.
You'll know a crow likes what you feed it judging by how quickly it swoops down to grab it. If that pile of leftovers you leave for them sits all day, that means they just aren't interested, so try something else—just make sure it's healthy.
I think this behaviour would come under the umbrella of corvid allopreening which usually involves a crow or raven gently (more or less) combing through their partner's feathers. This solicitous behaviour strengthens the pair bond between them, and helps to keep those very important feathers in tip top condition.
To many indigenous cultures, these birds symbolize transformation, rebirth, and renewal; they can be seen as an omen when something significant is about to happen. In addition to this, some Native American tribes believe that white crows are protectors from dark forces or supernatural events and represent a good sign.
While there is no anti-feeding legislation in Australia, you could land a fine from some councils if you're caught feeding birds on private property like shopping centres.
The Advantages of Befriending Crows
For example, if you keep chickens, they could warn you of other predator birds getting too close. Sometimes they also leave gifts to their feeders. Shiny objects attract crowds, so a crow may drop something shiny in your hands. They are smart and can be trained to do complex tasks!
Like other successful urban wildlife, crows survive in part by eating our food. Often that means eating whatever they find in our trash, including processed foods not found in nature. (Learn why crows are among the smartest birds.)
McGowan has been encouraging humans to feed crows for decades. But he cautions that there are ways for this practice to go wrong: “What happens is that people get too into this. And it makes the crows a nuisance.” Leaving out too much food can lead crows to mob your neighborhood constantly.
Based on studies such as the mask trial, it is thought that crows can remember faces for up to five years. This is, of course, if the birds are not seeing an individual or group regularly. Five years is an exceptionally long time for a bird to be able to recall someone's face.
However, we do know that a large number of caws indicates a higher level of intensity than a single caw does, so we might say that if the crow finds enough stamina to broadcast it 5+ times in each repetition, the emotion or urgency might also be higher.
Crows in my neighborhood communicate with numbers: Two caws = “Where are you?” (I will often hear a distant reply of two caws, as in, “I'm over here.”) Three caws = “Danger!” (They'll do it whenever they see a dog or a person they don't know.)
If you are leaving for a tour/trip, and suddenly a crow arrives at your window or balcony and makes noise, it means that you will have a good trip. If you spot a group of crows on your balcony while making noise, then it is not considered a good sign. The birds are giving warning that something bad is going to happen.
Crows are very social and can even bond with humans.
Like all birds, crows don't want anyone getting close to their nest, their eggs, or their babies. Humans don't get a free pass. Get too close, you might get mobbed. A territorial crow may swoop down on you repeatedly until you get out of town.
Newly published research shows that crows remember the faces of humans who have threatened or harmed them, and these memories probably last for the bird's lifetime. Not only do crows scold dangerous people, but they include family members -- and even strangers -- into their mob.
The importation, keeping, breeding and trading of this species, without appropriate permits, is illegal and penalties apply. The house crow is not known to occur in the wild in Australia.
Again, crows prove they're some of the most intelligent species on the planet. They use tools, they recognize people's faces and voices, they can tell when one of their peers has died, and so much more.
Crows are extremely intelligent. They can use tools to get what they want, like New Caledonian crows in a single South Pacific island of the same name, which shape twigs into hooks to catch grubs from rotting logs. And according to new research, crows are even smarter than we thought. 🦅 You love badass birds.