To be scared that I’m still marked by the crows?

[ChoccyOrangeYum]

A couple of years ago I walked the dog on a local field. I know nothing about birds but I was later told it was their breeding season.

Anyway we must have got too close to their nests as they suddenly started flying around irrationally, making a hell of a racket screaming etc and then started dive bombing the dog. The dog thought this was fun so started chasing the crows. All hell broke loose basically and we were suddenly surrounded by crows going mental. We made a quick exit!!

I left it a few days then took the dog back on the field but after speaking to locals about the crows I stayed away from the back of the field (where they’re breeding) and kept dog in lead. As soon as we stepped on the field the noise started up again and the crows appeared and started dive bombing again! There was someone else on the field with a dog who the crows were totally ignoring!

We left and after a bit of research I found that crows remember faces and don’t forgive easily 😬 so we didn’t go back on.

A whole year later we went back on assuming the old crows won’t be there anymore but we were on there 5 minutes before it all started again. These birds are not bothering anyone else on the field, just me!!

Anyway my neighbour has suggested we go for a walk in the field tomorrow morning but I’m shit scared of the birds. Will they still go for me if I don’t have the dog?! Will they ever move on from the incident 2 years ago or am I banned from the field for life?!

Yep. It's like apologising to anybody you've really, really pissed off, they'll be expecting trouble.

It would be worth a try to chuck treats in and then scarper again, keep doing it until they work out you always bring treats then you can probably start staying a while too.

Do you have any eggs? They love those.

Our house backs onto woods, out front is also trees. This is crow central. They HATE me. But they also swoop down at random people walking.by, the primary school kids next door are bloody terrified of them.

But by fuck they were in my garden squaking like twats at our cat ALL day., I set the dog on them now, so it so brave this year. Crows are as smart as hell, you need to outplay the wee fuckers.

we had a baby crow injured in our garden a couple months agp, was very tempted to leave it for the cat. The dc managed to get it out 😂

I started feeding some crows during the pandemic on my daily walk & they would come when I whistled - I moved away 18 months and have only been back to where they live a couple of times since, but they still recognise me & come to say hi. So they have really long memories!

You could try taking treats, (cat biscuits go down well, as do berries and also raw meat) but I think it would take it a while to turn the grudge around. Try leaving the treats on a tree stump/fence post/clear patch of ground, and just walking away. They'll start to recognise you more positively, but it won't solve the problem for a walk tomorrow.

Yes it's true, crows communicate with each other. They have been know to hold a grudge against people for a long times and for it to continue for generations. (So presumably passing on the description of th person to their off sping, as mentioned above).

Corvids are very intelligent and fascinating birds.

Very smart birds, they will remember you and the dog and will tell the kids and pass on the grudge.

I think that you have wear a full size crow costume. Then, you have to copy their movements on the ground.

Ffs. I've been trying to make friends with the ones in my tree for ages. So far they are impervious to all my efforts. Maybe I'm trying too hard.

Fascinating!

Report back tomorrow 🥸

Well, they used to be dinosaurs so it could be worse.

I think pigeons do this too. Wood pigeons in my street still take off with a huge annoying clap of wings when they see me because I chased one out of my kitchen about 20 years ago.

Jesus op, I am keeping fingers crossed that your new tricks work.

Mind blown...

Never did like crows

Try this. https://www.google.com/search?q=moira+rose+crow+scene&oq=moira+rose+crow&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgGEAAYgAQyBwgAEAAYgAQyBwgBEAAYgAQyBwgCEAAYgAQyBwgDEAAYgAQyBwgEEAAYgAQyBwgFEAAYgAQyBwgGEAAYgAQyBwgHEAAYgATSAQoxMjU0NmowajE1qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:548ef6cb,vid:a2yq-LOF4X0,st:0

I have jays that have trusted our garden for two summers now , got their fledgling to take its first stepsin our garden while its wings harden They watch from the roof. I bring water and ensure it gets to the enclosed side of the garden away from my dog.

The first summer I felt was an accident , this year I felt they thought it was a safe place. I shooed off some magpies as well.

A friend feeds crows daily. They definitely know her.

I would go with treats and gain their trust and forgiveness.

Oh! My imagination is going bonkers here. Teenage troublemaker crows.😂

I won't describe the pictures in my head, far far too silly !! 😕😎😋😁

Put the cheese cubes and high value goodies on one of those cheap shiny trays you find in the party aisle.

Keep them coming and train your new best friends to visit you at home. It'll be amazing.

Have you ever seen Lee Francis’ urban fox? Thats what I’m picturing - but crows in tracksuits and trainers with gold chains 😂

I’m not sure about letting them know where I live … I already have a target on my head 😬

Oh Christ you’ve fucked up there, crows can hold a grudge for life - and they live some life! Agree with PP’s, many peace offerings are needed

Yes, absolutely true!

Various experiments have shown that crows recognise and remember faces and that they pass on information to other crows and to their offspring.

Slightly off-topic but they can also make tools for accessing food - if they can't reach it, for example.

They're fascinating creatures.

Definitely worth trying to make peace with them rather than hope they will just forget about you, OP.

What a fascinating (and hilarious!) thread!

They don't call them a murder of crows for nothing you know

This is amazing. I can't wait for your update.