Build a Crowbox kit and become friends with your neighborhood crows

No need; some kind-hearted soul regularly puts out cat food for all the local strays already.

Me, I feed the neighbor’s cat whenever he lingers around my porch; he’s a big ol’ sweetie with a foot fetish.

3 Likes

How do you think dogs came to be?

9 Likes

This could be an understatement. There’s one of the oldest buildings near the center of the UT campus that in the 70’s was covered in ivy (long since destroyed, the ivy that is) where grackles or crows (some type of black bird) would roost at sunset. They weren’t merely loud, they were deafeningly loud. Kinda awesome, actually.

1 Like

My understanding is that no one has been able to replicate the claims he made during the TED talk that propelled him to fame. Even when researchers used crows that were bread in captivity.

Personally, I really, really want this to be true. But if he’s just up there bullshitting, it’s hard to feel sorry for him for having to endure the widespread criticism that comes with that.

That would be the Crowbar project.

7 Likes

I, for one, welcome our new corvid overlords.

2 Likes

Now that’s just cruel. Bread is meant to roam free.

5 Likes

I’ve seen them do acrobatics in celebration AFTER chasing a raptor out of the neighborhood.

2 Likes

Snark noted. And somewhat enjoyed.

1 Like

Actually they are doing this in France right now.

Posting this one again.

1 Like

The raven is a crow, just a very big one. And also very smart, they’re self-aware, can count, and seem to fly and do aerobatics just for the sheer joy of doing it.

I see what you did there, gives round of applause!

1 Like

FTFY (he crowed) but otherwise it was a very rye comment.

My coat is here somewhere…

2 Likes

Weelllll, they are closely related, but different. I figured out the crow in The Crow was a lie when I re-heard the “caw” and was like - “Wait, that isn’t a caw, that’s the raven “growl”.” We have crows around here, but not ravens, so I know what they sound like, it just never clicked before. A quick internet search later confirmed for me…

But yes, they are super smart. I saw a special where they can ID people, even label them. Like if they know a person is a thief, they won’t hide their food or toys in the thief’s presence. Or they will go back and re-hide it if they are around.

The crows at my grandpas farm quickly learned the maximum range of his shot gun and were nigh impossible to control after that.

1 Like

Selective breeding. It wasn’t just about being nice to wolves – you are talking about literally thousands of years of artificial evolution.

LOL. Of course, but they selected the ones who would line up for scratches and belly rubs.

Crows also raid songbird nests and eat the fledglings. If you like birds in general, do not feed crows.

Bread is a staple food according to the tree.

funny-dog-picture-let-the-belly-rubs-begin

3 Likes