Full disclosure - I haven’t always loved crows. It wasn’t that many years ago when I walked into an aviary at Woodland Park Zoo and had a panic attack. Being shut into a confined space with birds flitting here and there called to mind Alfred Hitchcock’s classic, The Birds. I had to step outside and collect myself on a stone bench.
Later though, when I became a mother, I saw birds through the eyes of my children. We set up fairy houses in the yard and watched for hummingbirds. My first trip to Alaska sealed the deal. Yeah, we have bald eagles in Seattle. They sometimes circle in the skies overhead, but that’s NOTHING compared to what Homer, Alaska had in store. They linger on the spit feet away, perched three across on a driftwood log beside our firepit. They were glorious. It was after that trip that I began to take note of all our neighborhood birds.
During a stretch of brittle winter weather, a duo of crows looked at me through the patio doors. They were hungry. I began to feed them and they cawed in thanks. They would hang back on the gate and watch as I brewed my morning coffee. They knew after feeding my cats and dog, I’d sprinkle something nutritious in the yard for them. They knew I was a crow lover, but, and maybe it was the bird dog growling behind me, they never fully trusted me. No matter. I was head over heels in love with crows. Soon two became three. Three became four. The word had gotten out that I had a soft spot for these remarkable, beautiful creatures.
It was around that time when I heard an interview on NPR of two UW researchers that were studying crows. They told the story of a woman who fed them for years and the crows, in turn, left her tiny treasures, like a I LIKE IKE pin. I wanted my crows to bring me something, too, so I upped the quality of my offerings.
My love affair with crows continues to this day.
I found a kindred spirit on TikTok, The Corvid Corner. She not only feeds crows, she rescues them, and goes so far as to make her own suet cakes for these glorious birds.
Bear with my scratchy voice as I struggled with the flu during this interesting conversation with my new friend across the pond. We talk candidly about the birds that have stolen our hearts.
Please give her a follow on TikTok and watch her incredible, uplifting, and often informative videos there.
Here's one article about UW professors studying crows!
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