There has been a flock of crows in my parents neighborhood for decades. They command a large area and push out many other birds, especially birds of prey. They are noisy and annoying. When I visit mom with my dog, they swoop at my dog. Honestly feeling like the neighborhood would be better without them.
An investigation into the state of corvid–human relations
51–60 of 96 posts
Re: An investigation into the state of corvid–human relations
#52We have quite a few birds around our house and it has been quite gratifying to see how much they accept your presence after a while. While making coffee yesterday morning, there were three tauhau hopping around in the tree outside the window, less than a meter away, unconcerned. If I go outside they'll keep to about 2 meters. When I'm working in the garage, a piwakawaka often comes in to watch me. If I'm digging in t…
From a bird’s point of view, large mammals must be interesting. You are just doing a little digging in the garden, but it’s an absolutely tremendous amount of earth you’ve moved compared to their ability to dig. I’m always curious about animals’ perception of us. I think they don’t really have the concepts of things like doors, lids, etc, as constructed devices that are made to be manipulated. I wonder if they think…
What I find interesting to think about is how much more routine viewing things from high above must be for birds than it is for us.
Looking at a city on Google Maps with satellite mode on was already a revealing experience when it came out.
Now imagine a live view of that with everything moving, as part of your regular environment.
I wonder if smarter birds (such as corvids) might have developed some sort of understanding of the large-scale organization of our cities, or how road and railway networks function. Not because they somehow figured out human civilization but because they literally see those things right in front of them every day.
Re: An investigation into the state of corvid–human relations
#53Crows can remember a dangerous person and tell their friends about it. From "Social learning spreads knowledge about dangerous humans among American crows" ( https://faculty.washington.edu/wirsinga/Cornell2011.pdf ) We exposed wild crows to a novel ‘dangerous face’ by wearing a unique mask as we trapped, banded and released 7 –15 birds at five study sites near Seattle, WA, USA. An immediate scolding response to the d…
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Re: An investigation into the state of corvid–human relations
#54I like the fact that they are so ... observant. A specific crow (I recognize him due to the missing feathers around his collar) will spend a while sitting on a tree outside my window, observing me for no reason. I do feed them generally by leaving peanuts in a specific area in the backyard early in the morning, and I'm sure this one partakes in the feast; but I have never rewarded his presence in any form, and yet th…
Isn't he just checking/waiting for the food to come out? If he's the first to it, he gets the best haul.
Re: An investigation into the state of corvid–human relations
#55I like the fact that they are so ... observant. A specific crow (I recognize him due to the missing feathers around his collar) will spend a while sitting on a tree outside my window, observing me for no reason. I do feed them generally by leaving peanuts in a specific area in the backyard early in the morning, and I'm sure this one partakes in the feast; but I have never rewarded his presence in any form, and yet th…
sounds like my dog. he knows when to sit and stare at me to wait for his usual food routine and, occasionally, treats. once he realizes that no it isn't time for either, he goes away.
Re: An investigation into the state of corvid–human relations
#56Crows can remember a dangerous person and tell their friends about it. From "Social learning spreads knowledge about dangerous humans among American crows" ( https://faculty.washington.edu/wirsinga/Cornell2011.pdf ) We exposed wild crows to a novel ‘dangerous face’ by wearing a unique mask as we trapped, banded and released 7 –15 birds at five study sites near Seattle, WA, USA. An immediate scolding response to the d…
And most importantly they teach their offspring about the dangers!
Re: An investigation into the state of corvid–human relations
#57We have quite a few birds around our house and it has been quite gratifying to see how much they accept your presence after a while. While making coffee yesterday morning, there were three tauhau hopping around in the tree outside the window, less than a meter away, unconcerned. If I go outside they'll keep to about 2 meters. When I'm working in the garage, a piwakawaka often comes in to watch me. If I'm digging in t…
From a bird’s point of view, large mammals must be interesting. You are just doing a little digging in the garden, but it’s an absolutely tremendous amount of earth you’ve moved compared to their ability to dig. I’m always curious about animals’ perception of us. I think they don’t really have the concepts of things like doors, lids, etc, as constructed devices that are made to be manipulated. I wonder if they think…
> I think they don’t really have the concepts of things like doors, lids, etc, as constructed devices that are made to be manipulated.
Re: An investigation into the state of corvid–human relations
#58We have quite a few birds around our house and it has been quite gratifying to see how much they accept your presence after a while. While making coffee yesterday morning, there were three tauhau hopping around in the tree outside the window, less than a meter away, unconcerned. If I go outside they'll keep to about 2 meters. When I'm working in the garage, a piwakawaka often comes in to watch me. If I'm digging in t…
It possibly helps that I have a dog that will not tolerate a cat on the property and seems to believe that birds don't exist.
Re: An investigation into the state of corvid–human relations
#59I like the fact that they are so ... observant. A specific crow (I recognize him due to the missing feathers around his collar) will spend a while sitting on a tree outside my window, observing me for no reason. I do feed them generally by leaving peanuts in a specific area in the backyard early in the morning, and I'm sure this one partakes in the feast; but I have never rewarded his presence in any form, and yet th…
I was told (by my partner, who works with birds in many capacities) that they consider a "direct" or head-on look to be something of a threat, as a predator would do. Consider looking at them sideways, with only one eye -as they would to each other- and see if it makes a difference.
Re: An investigation into the state of corvid–human relations
#60We have quite a few birds around our house and it has been quite gratifying to see how much they accept your presence after a while. While making coffee yesterday morning, there were three tauhau hopping around in the tree outside the window, less than a meter away, unconcerned. If I go outside they'll keep to about 2 meters. When I'm working in the garage, a piwakawaka often comes in to watch me. If I'm digging in t…
For anybody else also doing image searches for these birds, it's tauhou. Seemingly these colonized New Zealand in 1832.
Noted. Also, they are so tiny. It's not until you see them making a sparrow look large that it really hits you.