Training A Crow

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  • #203
The crow sure helps, jet black birds without remorse, but it's the eye patch that really brings it together.
 
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  • #207
He's becoming quite a popular fellow in the area. A little too cavalier about it as well, yesterday pooping down my shirt. Funny to see him walk, he hops around like a joyous kitten chasing a green nectarine. I don't think he has any cares.
 
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  • #209
They appear not to, gives a small grunt sometimes, and both types of waste come from the same place mixed together. The white is the pee, apparently. It doesn't smell. He's mostly outside, I just sweep it into the plants around with a broom, no fuss really. The problem is going somewhere with him on my shoulder. :|:
 
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  • #211
Some crazy outfit sells bird diapers that go into little jump suits, but I don't think so...

Check out Einstein!

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/mAp6X0zZfx0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
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  • #213
Two days ago in the morning, Hank left his front door perch and took a short fight into a Pine across from my shop, landed on a low branch. I would have left him there to see what his plan was, but i needed to go to the eye doctors, so I put a ladder up to his spot and when I started to climb up, he immediately did a radical steep climbing flight over a couple houses and disappeared from sight. I had no idea that he had it in him. I searched around in the general vicinity where he had headed west, but no luck. Over the next two days I saw and heard him on and off, sometimes at the very top of a tall tree, or on the roof of one of the houses in the area. I would try and encourage him to fly down to me, and though he would give an audible response to my invitation, he wouldn't come down. He was hanging around with another crow, possibly a parent of his. I left his perch out with food and water on it, but no indication that he had visited.

This late afternoon I gave a quick check around on my bike, and just as I got back to my shop, I heard him call out from directly across the road, and saw him standing there. As I walked over, wondering if he might take off, he hopped right up to me. We had some thunderstorms earlier in the day, and he was quite wet and looked fairly miserable. He looked a lot better after some grub and water to drink, and dried out, and now he's back at his regular lodgings. On his perch again, for the remainder of the day, and at least for the time being, fastened to it with an elastic cord, he went right to sleep. I had never seen him sleep before with his head partially tucked under a wing, he must have been quite pooped out. I'm glad to have him back, and i think he is glad to be back, at least for the time being. He got around quite a bit in his little jaunt in freedom. Neighbors that know him, told me that they had also seen him around, apparently he got some handouts at one house. His mannerisms are somewhat different from normal crows, people don't frighten him and he talks a lot, generally he isn't so hard to spot. I imagine that he enjoyed himself for the most part. It was cool seeing him at the top of a tall tree, on the highest branch. I think I'll keep him attached to a cord for awhile, sitting outside during the day. He doesn't seem to mind the restriction, from what i can tell. I'm doubtful that he can survive on his own, at least not yet.
 
Damn. Sounds like his drive to 'fly' is gonna make him take to the skies, for better or worse. I bet it was stressful for you. How are you thinking of handling it long-term?
 
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  • #215
Yes, i was a little worried about his well being, imagining him in the jaws of a cat or something. I'm not really sure how to handle it, Justin. No doubt that he digs being out there flying around with the other birds. He also has another world with me, good food and shelter. Sometimes what appeared to be his parent or parents, tried to encourage him to fly off with them when he had landed somewhere, but when i saw that, he generally seemed to ignore them, though i did see him doing some socializing as well. I guess I'll play it by ear for awhile, but i won't be turning him loose again just yet.
 
woodworkingboy said:
Yes, i was a little worried about his well being, ... I'm not really sure how to handle it, Justin. No doubt that he digs being out there flying around with the other birds...
Click to expand...

Birds have a very high mortality rate in their first year of life. It is the price of being born with wings. In falconry, young birds are flown at hack from a nest box. They can not only teach themselves to fly but to hunt and survive by using their birth given instincts.

If I was Hank and had a choice of a long life, safe on a perch or a potentially short life but on the wing, I know what I would choose.

" the quality of one's life is not measured by the number of breaths you take but by the number of moments that take your breath away "
 
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  • #218
Thought provoking post, Dave, and thanks everyone for contributing to this thread.

Hank is really fun to play around with, a pretty endearing little critter. if I knew he could live on his own flying around free, i would certainly turn him loose. Ideally he could come back for food and water, but i don't really know if that is possible. He didn't seem to have much interest in getting together with me again, until he appeared to be needing help. I read where crows in captivity will often suffer mental defects from it. I have been careful that Hank gets a change of scenery regularly, not just left on his perch, since my work schedule currently permits me to do that. I think our rides on the bike are good for his spirits, he seems attentive to what is going on around as we roll down the road, will spread his wings, like that scene on the bpw of the ship in the movie, "Titanic". Up in the trees, however, he was just like a normal crow.
 
I'm with Butch........I'd clip his wings.

My reasoning is that it will keep him safe. Like you, I don't think he would survive in the wild for long.
 
Maybe he'll just drift away increasingly. He's still quite young, if he's socializing with other crows that has to be a good sign.
 
Ohhh Hank is growing up so fast! Have you started a collage fund yet?
It's cool he came back maybe he realizes your place is home.
 
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