Any corvid experts around?? I have a self induced crow problem and I’m a bit scared!

[CrowTroubles]

I know mumsnet tend to enjoy a crow story but if anyone knows anything about corvids I could really do with some advice!

About a year ago I started feeding a local crow family - nothing too formal, I’d just walk across to the park where they hang out, throw some food down, watch them eat and then we’d all move on with our day.

Over time they started meeting me on the park, if they weren’t there when I arrived they soon would be once I arrived. Two crows in particular became very reliable in showing up and one started coming very close to me. All very friendly.

In spring this pair had a baby and very cutely they brought this baby to meet me on the park. I know crows are notoriously protective of their young so I didn’t pay it too much attention, just carried on feeding the adults as normal.

trouble is this baby crow never seemed to have the usual wariness that the adults had, it would land right next to me, run up to me across the floor, land on fences right next to me - it didn’t give a shit.

3 months on this baby crow is now a juvenile and seems to have become a bit obsessed with me.

Now - today!! Omg … I walked out of my house and 5 crows were sat on my roof waiting for me - as I walked down the drive 3 of them performed fly bys over my head (one has done this before in a playful way but never 3 of them and never at my actual house!!!) as I walked to the field they followed closely performing multiple fly bys, landing on lamp posts, fences, signs etc … all around me. I got to the field and fed them there as usual but juvenile crow wouldn’t leave me alone … normally they just stay at the feeding spot but today he carried on following me and then … he mobbed me!! He flew up behind me and started flapping around my head, wouldn’t go away - I don’t know if he was contemplating landing ON me or actually being aggressive?! I left the park sharpish but he carried on flying towards me and I had to keep turning to face him to put him off.

what have I done?? Why does he hate me all of a sudden?? He’s now sat on my back fence just staring at the house 😬 are they just really hungry because of the relentless weather or have I made an enemy of this bird somehow?

They’re very clever

As someone who's been attacked by a crow (I was trying to help its injured young), you'd know if it was being aggressive. I needed a tetanus shot.

You're going to have to lean into the whole surrounded by crows thing. Maybe get some sort of sceptre and see if you can direct them at your enemies.

My husband is interested in corvids, he says you could contact a Nicholas Crawford on Facebook , he’s an expert and shares lots of videos

I like this! I might need to connect with the crows. How far will they go to venge me do we think?

No use just avoiding the park as they know where she lives.
OP, I think you should put your house up for sale and move far away ( a long distance, not just “ as the crow flies “).

I follow him, I’ve just messaged him but not sure I’ll get a response, he must get thousands of messages

They don’t hate you, they think you’re their mum. Therein lies the problem.

Crows pick up dead animals to eat, that’s their job. You don’t need to feed them. The teenager crow needs to do that, not be fed by you.

Putting water out in shallow bowls is a really kind thing to do in this dry season - and if it ever gets icy again. So if you want to help, do that.

I’m not sure how long it’ll take to stop the habit they have formed but stop feeding them immediately and stop going to where they live.

It’s an easy mistake to make, I fed some swans through a cold winter once and they started following me about, I’m not normally scared of anything but they are huge out of water and it was disconcerting. Thankfully they migrated in spring and forgot about me!

The thought of walking through the park with a helmet on and a face painted on it is absolutely hilarious! Can you imagine what I’d look like 😂😂

Why do you think that matters to the crows? They don't have to dig for worms. Do you actually know what crows eat?
As pp says, it isn't a good idea to feed wild birds currently because of risk of disease but it is never a good idea to feed them in summer, we should be encouraging them to use the natural resources available to them. Putting water out in hot summers is a better idea.

Agree. My neighbour was feeding crows in his garden. They were tapping loudly at my windows and then there’s the noise. I asked him to stop feeding them and at first he refused. However he obviously thought better of it as I’ve not seen him feeding them recently and their presence around my house/garden has definitely lessened.

I’ve got a bowl of water out for them. This feeding started last winter, it seemed like a nice thing to do at the time but clearly it’s got out of hand 😞

Ignore this poster.

Keep feeding us.

We especially enjoy Waitrose nut and seed mix - the human type. A nice chopped strawberry would be good too.

We would also appreciate bottled Austrian spring water from a glass bottle, not your stagnant hose water 🙄

Sparkling? With ice?

Absolutely no sparkling, that gets right up our beaks. Ice on a hot day would be good. Round balls of ice with roses in the middle.

Or you could listen to the advice you've been given from someone who advises on this stuff as their job ☺️

I caught one fishing a very much alive newt out of my pond. I have been less welcoming since then.

Our Waitrose closed a couple of years ago @AMurderofMurderingCrows so maybe ours are desperate They're welcome to the water I put out, if only they'd stop dropping bread in to soften it.

I don't have any advice, but I did enjoy the line "nothing formal" regarding your feeding of the crows. So, smart casual, dinner jacket not required?!

We drop bread in it to make your disgusting hose water taste better 🙄

😉

Oops - apologies

your situation is exactly why the council have advised not to feed seagulls, they get too brave and steal food from humans.

This thread is delightful.

Put a paddling pool in the garden and stop feeding them… 🦅

I feed the sparrows i throw seed across my lawn.

Aw I am quite jealous. I've been meaning to try and befriend the local crows for ages but maybe this is a bit intense!

A raven has appeared recently and I really want to make this my friend.

This sounds like a horror movie!

Never feed birds. Ever,