Are Crows Friendly?

Crows are commonly seen, and heard, in close proximity to us in our towns and cities. But are crows friendly? The answer may surprise you.

Crows Are Highly Social Birds

Crows are social birds that live in family groups. And they are well known for forming close bonds with the other members of their flock. In fact, crows mate for life and the bond with their partner is particularly close. Crow pairs can often be seen affectionately grooming each other, an act that actually reinforces the strength of their bond.

Young grows are also attached and friendly to the crows in their flock. Unlike most other types of birds which leave their parents or are chased away by them at an early age, young crows often stick with their parents and group for several years after being born. And they will even help to take care of their parent’s offspring.

During the fall and winter months, individual family groups will come together and sleep in roosts at night. These roosts have in some cases been made up of millions of crows. Roosts offer protection from nighttime predators but also are used to socialize. They will socialize with crows from other groups and amazingly can exchange information about food sources and potential predators.

Crows Can Become Quite Tame

So, are crows friendly with people? It turns out that crows can be quite friendly, or at least become comfortable being around people. Crows can become quite tame particularly when they realize that you aren’t a threat and may provide them with food.

For this reason, many backyard birders specifically feed crows. And you can attract crows to your yard using various foods such as peanuts. However, crows are intelligent birds and are very wary so it may take time for you to attract them, associate you with food, and finally gain their trust.

In fact, there are many stories of people who have befriended individual crows by feeding them and even give them names. In some cases, crows have been known to bring gifts to their human friends, such as shiny objects or small trinkets.

However, these situations are most likely the result of crows accidentally leaving objects behind and then realizing that they are being rewarded with more food for this behavior by the excited humans. Food after all can be an amazing motivator.

Crows Will Attack

While crows are “friendly,” in certain situations, this is not always the case. Like any wild animal, crows can become aggressive if they feel threatened or if their territory is invaded. And while during the fall and winter when roosting they may be friendly to crows from other groups. during the rest of the year, they aren’t.

Crows are well-known for being especially territorial during the nesting season. They may attack humans, other crows, birds, or other animals perceived as threats to their nests or food sources. And they often will mob or dive bomb them in an attempt to scare them off.

Crows Can Hold A Grudge

Crows can remember faces. And these birds will act very differently around people that they trust and people they don’t. Crows have actually been known to “get even,” with individuals that have tried to harm them in the past. For example, crows may attack those specific people on future occasions whenever they see them. So if you plan on trying to befriend them, be sure that you are as crow-friendly as possible when interacting with them.

They Don’t Make Good Pets

While crows are friendly in certain situations and super smart, crows don’t make good pets. They are incredibly loud, mischievous, and require a large space. And because they are so social, mentally they do need to be surrounded by their family group and interact with them constantly in order to thrive in all areas of their life.

Conclusion

So, are crows friendly? The answer is both yes and no. It depends on the situation and even the time of year. While they can form friendly relationships with us they are still wild animals and deserve our respect. And if you’re not respectful they most likely will remember!

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