Creepy Facts About Crows

Crows are highly intelligent birds that have thrived alongside us humans. However, while they are fascinating creatures, at the same time, there are many things about them that many people find quite unsettling. That being said here as some of the most creepy facts about crows.

Crows Are Associated With Death

Similar to vultures, crows are birds that are commonly associated with death. And this isn’t something new, crows have been seen as connected to death in many cultures throughout history.

In some cultures, just seeing a crow is an omen that means you or somebody close to you is going to die in the near future. The dark plumage of crows and the fact that they often are seen scavenging definitely help to contribute to their association with death.

Crows Are Often Portrayed As Evil

It’s very common in popular culture for crows to be portrayed as evil. This is often the case in horror movies and books. Crows are commonly associated with haunted houses, witches, demons, and other dark forces. And in some cultures, in parts of Asia and the Pacific Islands, crows are even believed to be soul-stealers.

Crows Have Funerals

Another creepy crow fact is that they have “funerals,” for their dead. When a crow from their family group dies they will gather around the dead crow and make loud noises. They often return to do this for several days afterward as if paying their respects to their fallen friend.

They have complex relationships with the other crows in their family group and in addition also mate for life, so the loss of a group member is not taken lightly. Chimps, elephants, and dolphins are also known to behave similarly.

They Can Hold A Grudge

A very creepy fact about crows is they have the ability to hold a grudge. It’s fair to say holding a grudge isn’t something most of us would think of when it comes to typical bird behavior. However, crows are not your typical birds, they are way creepier!

Crows can remember human faces. And they will remember how specific people have treated them. They are known to react aggressively and even mob specific individuals that have mistreated them in the past and whom they consider to be threats.

Crows Can Speak

When we think of talking birds for most of us tropical looking birds such as parrots come to mind. Crows, on the other hand, are not one of them. However, crows are excellent mimics. And they have the ability to mimic the sounds of other bird species and various animals in their environment.

They have even been known to mimic human-made sounds such as machinery. And yes, they can also mimic human speech.  However, unlike other talking birds, there’s just something about talking crows that doesn’t sit well with many people.

They Gather In Large Numbers At Night

During the fall and winter months, crows will gather in large numbers to sleep at night. This is known as roosting. Crow roosts can be enormous with some roosts having thousands of birds. As you can imagine the sight and sound of a crow roost with thousands of black crows making loud persistent nighttime calls can be pretty creepy for those who aren’t familiar with this behavior.

Experiencing this for the first time could understandably make some people think that something ominous or supernatural was occurring. However, this behavior is totally normal. And it is believed that one of the reasons for it is that having a large number of birds can help protect against nighttime predators such as owls.

A Flock Of Crows Is Known As A Murder

As crazy as it sounds technically in English the collective noun for a group of crows is a “murder.” However, you won’t hear scientists or anyone else referring to them like that, a group of crows is simply called a “flock”. This and many other collective nouns for various groups of animals stem from the middle ages and are known as terms of venery.

Some of them are still commonly used today such as a “pride of lions”, ” pack of wolves”, “school of fish”, or “troop of monkeys”. However others like a “horde of rats”, “smack of jellyfish”, “congress of baboons”, or a “parliament of owls” you most likely won’t hear unless you’re playing a game of trivia.

Crows Eat The Dead

Crows are opportunistic omnivores and will take advantage of a free meal whether living or dead. They often eat carrion, the decaying flesh of dead animals, when they come across it. And this sometimes even includes eating dead crows, which technically makes them cannibals.

And while this creepy crow behavior may seem repulsive to us, and is one of the reasons we most likely associate crows with death, it is beneficial to the environment. When crows eat carrion it helps to stop the spread of disease and keeps our environment clean.

Crows Sometimes Steal And Hoard

Crows have been known to both steal and collect certain manmade objects. In particular, they seem to be attracted to items that are bright and shiny. Crows have been observed stealing, hiding, and bringing back to their nests, items such as coins and jewelry. While the reason behind this behavior is not well understood it is believed that the crows may view them as food or valuable resources.

They Seem Too Smart To Be Birds!

One of the most creepy facts about crows is simply just how intelligent these birds are. They are known for their problem-solving abilities and even using tools to help them obtain their food. Crows also are able to communicate with one another using a complex system of vocalizations and body language. This skill set makes them seem more like flying apes than actual birds.

In fact, crows are considered one of the most intelligent of all bird species. And their cognitive abilities are often compared to that of primates. Knowing this may unnerve you the next time you see these birds at your backyard birdfeeder. As those creepy crows are most likely not thinking what you’d expect!

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