Training A Crow

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  • #226
In good shape, Squish, Randy, still with a good appetite. A few days chilling after his bout with freedom, he is eager to fly again, it's pretty obvious. I'm debating what to do. I might turn him loose again and see what happens. I question his ability to feed himself adequately, but wanting his freedom does stress him out at times. It is not really a creature to be domesticated, is the impression, even with very good care, which it gets. Other times, he seems totally cool with the captivity, really digs on the bike. Sometimes when we go fast, or an approaching wind, it spreads it's wings and just hovers over the handlebars up and down, it's real cool, and it doesn't try to flee, even traveling fairly long distances. I'm thinking to let him free in a few more days. Just hope that he comes back for food, and water is a necessity, it drinks constantly. I got him eating some bugs that I put on the ground, but all the dog food and other treats that it consumes daily, would be a lot of bugs. Kind of a dilemma what to do.
 
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  • #228
Ha, I wouldn't dispute that, Randy. Once he jumped into a tree next to his perch, and got tangled up in his cord. By the time i got him straightened out, he was really pissed, let out a loud squawk and viciously chomped down on a piece of cucumber that was hanging there, not from hunger, but stress. It was a whoa for a second, i hadn't noticed that emotion before. They do have feelings of one kind or another.
 
I'd love to have a Crow Jay........I think that would be a cool friend.

Our dog Isabell.......she had a knot come up on the inside of her leg. It turned out to be cancer.

The vet thinks he got it all.......but says we should watch for more masses.

She's the smartest dog I've ever seen........really a bit bummed out about it, but hoping for the best.
 
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  • #230
Unfortunate for isabell. I guess that cancer in dogs is pretty common. You can get insurance for it over here.
 
It sucks.

I've had dogs that lived 15 - 18 years......never went to the vet except for routine shots.

Then a super smart dog that ends up with cancer at 6.5 years.



Sorry for the derail......
 
Sorry to hear that Randy.

I am watching my dog of 16 years slowly die. Nothing wrong with her, just getting slower everyday. Have to wonder why we put ourselves through this stuff.

Thats quite a pickle Jay. I still think that Hank knows he is a crow, and that should help him in the wild. Interesting to see the emotions of an animal are much like our own. Anger, excitement, uncertainty, joy....really cool.
 
In good shape, Squish, Randy, still with a good appetite. A few days chilling after his bout with freedom, he is eager to fly again, it's pretty obvious. I'm debating what to do. I might turn him loose again and see what happens. I question his ability to feed himself adequately, but wanting his freedom does stress him out at times. It is not really a creature to be domesticated, is the impression, even with very good care, which it gets. Other times, he seems totally cool with the captivity, really digs on the bike. Sometimes when we go fast, or an approaching wind, it spreads it's wings and just hovers over the handlebars up and down, it's real cool, and it doesn't try to flee, even traveling fairly long distances. I'm thinking to let him free in a few more days. Just hope that he comes back for food, and water is a necessity, it drinks constantly. I got him eating some bugs that I put on the ground, but all the dog food and other treats that it consumes daily, would be a lot of bugs. Kind of a dilemma what to do.

I think you are making a good choice by letting him choose. Natural instinct in a highly intelligent bird will most likely prevail. This isn't a dumb rabbit from a pet shop. Plus he is an apex predator. If he can pick bugs, and can drink water, he can survive. See what he chooses. He knows what he wants. A short happy life always trumps a long unhappy life.
 
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  • #235
I agree. When he's in a good mood and enjoying himself, he's the cutest fellow and having him is a total gas. He's really changed some people's minds about associating with a crow, puts out a good vibe when approached, perhaps not to his best interest, but that is how it has turned out. I have a friend that isn't doing too well since his wife died. I went over there with Hank and we took a bike ride, the three of us. My friend seemed to get a lot of enjoyment, and Hank dug it too. I made a place for him to sit across from the shop in a tree with some elevation, he likes it up there, it more catches the breeze and a better view of a lot of area. Still attached with a line though. He lets me know when he is hungry, and there is water up there that he frequently drinks. He will sit or stand up there all day looking relaxed, as long as getting eats.

Basically, he seems quite content all in all, except for some brief moments when I might have to grab him for one reason or another. He's fine sitting on my hand or my arm when walking someplace, but doesn't like getting grabbed with his body and wings constricted. He gets a good change of pace during the day as I'm working leisurely in the shop and can give him some time, but sometimes there is the urge to take off. Not often, just every now and then, like he is remembering that he can fly. On the bike is the best time, some real sense of attachment when doing that, for some reason. Maybe he thinks we are like flying together, he often has his wings spread out and is getting some air. An interesting creature. Kind of loving too at moments, I notice.
 
You have personalized crows for me, Jay. I saw a murder of crows in a neighbor's yard this morning and thought of Hank immediately. When they caw around here I find myself wondering what Hank is up to.
 
While I think everything is discussed here is interesting and cool, and even though Pat, my associate, had a pet crow that he appropriately named Russel, I am overly dismayed at the relentless hassling that crows give other birds. Many times I've photographed one to many crows harassing eagles and ospreys, but this was a first for me. I'd been shooting a kingfisher when I heard a juvenile great blue heron squawking, and probably the two crows as well. As can be seen in the images, the crows actually hit the heron a couple times. I had the big 500 lens on the action and fired off close to 70 shots in 10-15 seconds. Most are adequately focused. Here it is:
<iframe width="960" height="720" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/c3cAs3dPz8o" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Nature has many facets.

How did/has your associate Pat's pet crow worked out? Any details on the training or how he keeps it?
 
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  • #239
Gary, much the same as me now. I hear crows calling out when I am still in bed in the morning, and I wonder if they are addressing me. LOL.

Some interesting photos for sure, the Heron bothered by crows. A little troubling, I admit. Having had this crow for a number of weeks now, my own observations and reading, it has been informative. Said to be the most intelligent bird on the planet, still the number of crows that survive past one or two years is very small numbers compared to the ones that hatch. Hank has to my mind, never showed any aggression towards me or anyone else, frequently getting petted by strangers, even when preferred not to be bothered. During moments of frustration, he will tell you, but doesn't snap or anything mean yet. He jabbed a cucumber pretty rad once, is about all i have observed, or takes it out on his water dish. When something bothers him, attempt at avoidance is how he generally proceeds. He's an independent from other birds, though. That being said, crows have a very developed social structure in their rookeries, will remain with parents for up to two years and assist with food gathering, nests, and the raising of young. What goes on in those rooks is very influential to them, they much learn their ways from observation of their mates. They can be territorial, will attack other birds that they think are trying to infringe on their space, one of the concerns with Hank trying to reenter the group that lives around my shop. When we go out on the bike, we get into the territories of other crow rooks, and his presence often causes a bit of a ruckus, loud calling out and nervous behavior, I think a warning to other crows or maybe just the oddity of seeing one of their own species with a human. Whatever it is, they sure do take note of it. Hank stays chilled, but he pays attention. It is a bummer about crows hassling other birds, especially very desirable ones like the Heron, it's life in the wild with this species, unfortunately.

One thing in defense of crows, they have quite amazing appetites, I can't believe how much Hank requires, and he doesn't appear fat or anything unusual in that regard. As I mentioned before, their metabolism rate must be quite high, holding him under his chest and he is literally quite hot all of the time. Even when only slightly warm outside, he will sit with his beak wide open, I assume to expend the heat. They take food in and then poop out, the cycle goes on all day like that. It seems like a conveyor belt of food moving through him almost all of the time. Finding that much food on their own in the trees and on the ground, I don't know how they manage to do it. It must be full time activity. I would say that like three or four times per day, his appetite really peaks, and Hank isn't nearly expending the physical energy of a bird that is frequently flying around. It occurs that crows might see other birds in their area as potentially threatening their food abundance, and ganging up comes rather easy to them, given the group mentality that they have.
 
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  • #240
I bought the lightest rope I could find and made Hank a twenty meter tether attached to a stick. I take him to an unused sports ground right near my shop so he can fly about. I don't have to hold the stick, it will drag along the ground until he gets fatigued and comes down. After a few flights he becomes extremely hot and winded with very deep breathing. Strange to hear a crow breathing like that, sometimes in my ear. Still a novice, his landings aren't pretty. I think he needs to get into better flight shape as well. Keeping their beaks wide open seems to be how they expend heat, his hot day routine.. He made it over to the outer branch of a tree and wouldn't come down. Though we are good buddies, he can't seem to learn to fly over to me for food or to come down from a height. I had to yank Hank. I love the little critter, and he lets me know when he's in a good mood with some squeaks. I've recently learned that like in other places, keeping a crow is a violation of some law, but I don't think anybody is going to hassle me. I guess it is their being wild creatures, technically. Not much chance now of him becoming the mascot of the community. Getting pooped on hardly even bothers me anymore.
 
I am overly dismayed at the relentless hassling that crows give other birds.

It is behavior that has been going on for untold thousands of years, no need to be dismayed.
 
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  • #243
There is actually a name for crows in numbers attacking other birds, called "mobbing". It is the only way that they can protect themselves from Hawks or Owls that feed on crows. Mobbing besides harassing the other bird to drive it away, also brings attention to that "intruder", so it is unable to attack a crow unseen. Studies have shown that mobbing activity decreases with a greater distance from the harassing bird's nesting areas. There is also the theory that by participating in mobbing, a bird shows its fitness and strength, to attract possible partners. It is thought that crows may mistake larger birds like Herons as predators, or even the possibility that they may attack them with the hope that the unnerved bird will regurgitate it's food.
 
Mr. Vandemar swallowed the contents of his mouth and wiped his lips on his sleeve.

"Best way to scare crows," said Mr. Vandemar, "you just creep up behind them and put your hand round their little crow necks and squeeze until they don't move anymore. That scares the stuffing out of them."

And then he was silent; and from far above they heard the sound of crows flying, cawing angrily.

"Crows. Family Corvidae. Collective noun," intoned Mr. Croup, relishing the sound of the word, "a murder."
 
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  • #248
"you just creep up behind them and put your hand round their little crow necks and squeeze until they don't move anymore. That scares the stuffing out of them."

The birds will acquiesce to a greater power somewhat, but judging by Hank, they extremely dislike being held in a way that restricts their movement. It gives them fits, and something that trust doesn't seem to diminish, will squirm and flap their wings rather agitatedly to try and become free.
 
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  • #250
Nice vid, MB, reminds of Hank. I'd be thinking to get it over with quick though, before a big glob of white poop on my guitar. I've been leaving the radio on at night to keep Hank company alone at the shop, a classical station. 8)
 
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