A few robins are beginning to show up in the yard this past week. I’ve also seen one of my hummingbirds scouting the feeders. As they turn away I don’t blame them. The feeders need a THOROUGH CLEANING! But back to the Crows. They have been around all winter, talking vociferously from the tree tops as I walk by and swooping down in flocks to see what is on offer in the yard. This article from The Audubon Society ‘Meet the Bird Brainiacs: American Crow’ describes them as the ‘smartest bird in the world’. Author John Marzluff is a wildlife biologist at the University of Washington.
The crows in your neighborhood know your block better than you do. They know the garbage truck routes. They know which kids drop animal crackers and which ones throw rocks. They know the pet dogs, and they might even play with the friendly ones. If you feed them, they probably not only recognize you but your car as well, and they might just leave you trinkets in return. These birds live their lives intertwined with ours, carefully observing us even as most of us barely take note of them. That’s how they survive, and they’re good at it: In recent decades the American Crow has taken over our suburbs, and even moved into the hearts of our big cities. As we’ve reshaped the landscape, we’ve created an ideal environment for an animal that is canny and perceptive enough to exploit our riches. MORE……
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