Training A Crow

[Tucker943]

Face it... it's a chore taking care of any pet. I'm taking my old cat in tomorrow to put it down. She's gone senile. The crazy thing is, I just adopted a young kitten that has been living under my house for the past two months. I'm amazed she wasn't feral already.

Im very sorry to hear that Butch.....

Im a cat guy myself.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'm a dog guy, but I get too attached. Cats, not so much.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I put up a sign. People can consult with Hank about any personal problems that they might have. One time is about one dollar. My elderly farmer neighbor already asked me about if the crow would really understand. I said sure, and just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean that he doesn't understand, it allows you to get something off your chest. I get to listen in, I hope. My neighbor hasn't been looking too happy lately.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Your pitcher... I see mostly gray.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Strange, still now?

 

[FireFighterZero]

I would have thought that a crow under an umbrella would be a foreboding sight. Not so.....I find it to be a very happy image. Everything seems very friendly.

I sorta want to be friends with Hank for some reason.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Ha, I see it!

 

[woodworkingboy]

I'm glad to read that, Jim. Hank likes people, maybe too much. He seems to find them curious. The image of him under an umbrella seems to confuse people. They can see that he is real, but still they aren't sure. Some have asked, is that a crow?

 

[GemCutter]

The robin we raised seemed very attached and happy being with us...after all, we were it's parents as far as the bird knew. Indoors, you couldn't keep it away from you without caging it.

However, once it started flying, it only came back about 3 times. Each time took a lot of coaxing before it would come down from the trees. The fourth time it took off outdoors it was gone. I really doubt that bird had any skills to stay alive.

 

[woodworkingboy]

You are probably right, Reed, unable to survive. Hank snaps at some insects that fly around, but i haven't observed it catching anything. Probably there is a point of no return as far as learning goes. It seems like hunger would bring them around again, but perhaps they don't make the direct association to a high enough degree to survive. I do note that certain crows that i fairly regularly give food to behind my shop, seem to be always checking if some is there or not. I assume it must be the same bird or birds living nearby, to find it so quickly. They can associate a given location regularly with food.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'd clip his wings.

 

[GemCutter]

As I recall, crows are by far one of the more intelligent birds.

I fed the robin a few little wild strawberries once. I dropped a bag of M&Ms a few days later and it immediately started gulping down the red ones. As I said before...stupid robbin.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Have to see what happens in the next few days, now that he knows he can fly.

I think that they are considered the most intelligent bird, brain size to body size close to the great apes. I recently read that they have the reasoning power of a 7 year old human, hard to believe, though.

 

[MasterBlaster]

You're gonna lose him.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I won't be taking him on the bike like before. Perhaps something to do with seeing unfamiliar territory. His perch he has yet to budge from, except once hoping into an adjoining tree right next to it, or other times when he simply fell off. I doubt that he can fly very far yet. I felt it necessary to get him from the grammar school roof, because he would have been lost. At least if he flies from the perch, i think he will not be far from the shop. I'd like to see what he does after that. His ma and pa are always around, and still interested in him by the way they always squawk and make a ruckus when they see him.

 

[FireFighterZero]

How much schooling does a bird need? I would think that most of what they do is instinct, the rest learned by watching other birds. I mean, Hank is not going to fly away and try to apprentice in a wood working shop, he is going to do bird stuff. Well, that's the way I figure it anyway.

 

[MasterBlaster]

But no bird ever taught him bird stuff.

 

[pantheraba]

Great picture of umbrella-ed Hank...and cool idea to have Hank be the priest. Could be fun watching people interact with him.

Whatever happens with Hank this has been an uber memorable experience to watch it develop. Thanks for letting us tag along.

 

[FireFighterZero]

I agree 100% with Gary. This has been one of the damnedest journeys that I have been on! My folks will ask me "what do you hear about that crow in Japan?"

 

[vharrison]

Perhaps Frank would be happy with a bigger cage.

I dunno... I think any domesticated animal is domesticated - meaning they need humans to take care of them. But, I'm no vet... so to speak.

His name is Hank, not Frank.

 

[squisher]

I would pay a buck to chat with Hank, even about everyday stuff.

 

[woodworkingboy]

LOL. Hank is already serving a useful function. My neighbor that has a tendency to come in and just stand around a bit too much, now he pretty much stays outside and talks to Hank.

Hank was a model of perfect behavior today, stayed on his perch the whole time, and was rewarded with a little ride on the bike late afternoon. Stayed put there as well, no suddenly flying off. I took him to the gas station where a real nice atttactive girl works, probably got me a few points! Perhaps my scolding for flying up on the roof yesterday, he took to heart.

 

[Mick!]

That's right, there's nothing like pulling up on a bike with a crow on the handlebars to impress a girl. Beats a range rover vogue every time!!!!
Glad to hear Hank has taken to his wings.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Small girl, she has to stand on a crate to wash the windows of a range rover, even the cheaper models. No appeal. Quite a down to earth gal, raising two kids by rolling up her sleeves and really working hard in a gas station. A good attitude. Holding a warm friendly bird in her hands now, something much easier to relate to and more fun, is my guess. First time to ever touch a crow, or to say it's name.

 

[GemCutter]

That reminded me that ~35 years ago I was managing a pet store and had a guy walk in with a young, but old enough to fly, great horned owl. Impressed me. I quickly learned not to hold a mouse to try to feed it. You could drop a mouse on the floor with full confidence that it wasn't going to get away.