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 will go for fat balls on those hanging feeders, the ones with huge spaces not mesh. They can empty, with the help of magpies, the whole lot in a day.

I once saw a little group of them, at an M6 service station car park, gather round a bin while one of them pulled a few items out. Obviously profitable as McDonald's fries and other goodies then scattered on the ground,quickly gobbled up.
It was so skilfully done that I couldn't help admiring them.

They didn't put the rubbish back though,so a minus mark there!

Hi there are a few reasons they might attack - parents can be aggressive when the young start to venture out the nest just because they are protecting their young. But also they can attack because they are attracted to food. Corvids are smart so they would likely remember where and who they can get food. If they have got used to being fed this could explain it.

Great to leave water out, just be cautious about avian flu and regularly clean the bowl so it doesn't start becoming a vector for disease.

I love people who care about birds 💕

I would stop feeding them, they are highly intelligent and recognise faces, at least they see you as a friend instead of a foe!
If baby crow is getting overly brave then it will get worse when he is reaching adolescence if you don’t break the attachment now.
Ive seen pet crows (that haven’t been able to be released due to health problems) cause injuries to their keepers hands/faces when they’ve reached the teenage stage. It’s why I would never dream of trying to befriend them, they are big birds well equipped with claws and beak 😬

This is what I thought!

I'm always amazed at how clever they are. I've witnessed them putting food in the path of oncoming cars in order to break it up into manageable pieces.

Well, not quite. The situation is more like the one that comes up on Mn all the time, about a cheeky fucker who expects to be entertained regularly with a three-course meal, and the people-pleaser who goes along with until they crack and start saying no, and wonder why the ‘guest’ is outraged!

I mean you could stop feeding them. But they know where you live. So I’d advise going away for a while and return with a really good disguise in a few weeks time. Good luck!