We all know that crows may not be the friendliest of creatures but the shiny black birds are interesting for sure! Many scientists think the crows have amazing mental capacities and are able to solve complex problems, make abstract reasoning and engage in group decision-making. Incredible, isn't it?
One Redditor shared his story of friendship with crows and how the clever birds saved him from his bully neighbors!
A Reddit user shared his fascinating story about his friendship with crows. Tempthethrowaway shared how “the day they moved into their apartment complex their across the hall neighbors started bullying them. Why? They parked in the handicap spot next to the sidewalk to the building. Why? He is handicapped.”
The redditor wrote that "the neighbor liked to park one of his 6 project cars there (illegally) and using it for it's intended purpose was inconvenient to him."
False complaints were filed against the redditor. The situation escalated to the point where "a bunch of nasty letters started flowing in". The things, however, took a turn when the author befriended some crows who defended him against the bully neighbors.
John Marzluff, a professor of wildlife science at the University of Washington assured that it is possible for humans to befriend crows. “Many people that feed them on a regular schedule form close, pet-like relationships,” he said.
Talking about the crows' ability to recgnize humans for long periods, the Professor said,
"Our experiment shows recognition for 16 years, but we never left for more than a year at a time. If you have a strong relationship with the crows and leave for a while and come back I think they would still recognize you, or quickly relearn to count on your for food, etc.”
“We had many people in our experiments that dressed differently and were of different ages and shapes but if they wore the face the crows knew they were recognized,” he added.
“Throwing a rock at them. Chasing them. Have your dog chase them. All these can cause a bird to scold you with harsh calls and diving. If you pick up an injured or dead crow or a grounded nestling and others see you then they associate you with the danger to that bird and also react aggressively to you in the future. They see you as a potential predator and treat you just as they treat hawks, eagles, owls, and other natural predators,” Marzluff told.
