Crows have been captivating our imagination for years, with Hitchcock’s masterpiece “The Birds” (1963) imparting them with exceptional cultural significance. Scientists believe that these birds of the genus Corvus possess incredible mental capacities and are able to solve complex problems, make abstract reasoning, engage in group decision-making and much more.
And one Redditor, Tempthethrowaway, experienced what it is like to befriend them. In a post shared on the Petty Revenge subreddit, they shared how “the day we moved into this apartment complex our across the hall neighbors started bullying us. Why? We parked in the handicap spot next to the sidewalk to the building. Why? I'm handicapped.” Turns out the neighbor liked to illegally park their cars there and the author was a total inconvenience.
“A bunch of nasty letters” started flowing in and a complaint was even filed against the author. This all changed when the Redditor became friends with “a decent sized crow population.” Turns out the new feathered friends were ready to stand up to them.
Image credits: Qurratul Ayin Sadia (not an actual photo)
If you ever wondered if it’s even possible to befriend crows, John Marzluff, a professor of wildlife science at the University of Washington told Bored Panda that’s definitely possible. “Many people that feed them on a regular schedule form close, pet-like relationships,” he said.
Image credits: grendelkhan (not an actual photo)
Not only that, crows are able to recognize people for way longer than you may think. “Our experiment shows recognition for 16 years, but we never left for more than a year at a time,” Marzluff said. He added that they surely recognize our faces. “If you have a strong relationship with the crows and leave for a while and come back I think they would still recognize you, or quickly relearn to count on your for food, etc.”
Image credits: David Jackmanson (not an actual photo)
Crows are capable of recognizing people even if they change clothes and hairstyles. “We had many people in our experiments that dressed differently and were of different ages and shapes but if they wore the face the crows knew they were recognized,” the professor explained and added that changing hair dramatically might fool the crows, but his team of researchers hasn’t looked at that specifically.
“Anything done to harass the crows is remembered,” Marzluff warned. “Throwing a rock at them. Chasing them. Have your dog chase them. All these can cause a bird to scold you with harsh calls and diving.”
“If you pick up an injured or dead crow or a grounded nestling and others see you then they associate you with the danger to that bird and also react aggressively to you in the future. They see you as a potential predator and treat you just as they treat hawks, eagles, owls, and other natural predators,” he explained.
And this is what people had to say about this whole situation
