Just Caws

"There is a price on his head; every man's hand is against him. Apparently he does not mind this in the least; in fact, he seems to rejoice in being an outlaw. As for fear, I doubt if he knows what it means; he has far too much confidence in his undoubted ability to escape his human persecutors." --Frank M. Chapman, - Handbook of Birds of Eastern North America

There are a few birds that have not only coped well with the human population covering the planet -- but have actually thrived and done well by our presence. Some sparrows and some seagulls have increased in numbers (along with the ubiquitous pigeon). But an increasingly familiar sight in the urban landscape is the large shiny black figure of the raven and its cousin the crow.

Not many birds have been hunted with such determination as the crow. They've been shot, poisoned, trapped, had loud noises played at them, been sprayed with chemicals, and have even fallen prey to one old recommended scheme:dynamite. Yet the successful birds of the Corvidae family sail through all this persecution and still manage to survive; a tribute to the benefits of ominvorism -- AND to strong family ties.

Did I mention that they're also numbered among the geniuses of the bird world? This is quite a feat for a creature that has a brain the size of a pecan.

The Corvidae (which includes jays, ravens, and crows) are highly social and intelligent creatures. They'll eat almost anything (like a good omnivore) from corn to road kill. The garbage of the cities is a feast to them -- a dependable source of food (unlike wild plants, which tend to be seasonal). Most of their diet is vegetable material. Only 30% of the diet is animal in origin and includes beetles, grubs, grasshoppers, crickets, lizards, frogs, bird eggs, young birds and road kill.

Crows have a good eye for shapes and a good memory for people who come into their areas frequently. They soon learn who's friend and who's foe. Cornell University crow expert, Kevin McGowan, has been studying crows for several years and usually rewards them for their cooperation with peanuts. The crows in Ithaca, N.Y. took notice. Now he reports that he's being followed all over Ithaca, by crows looking for a handout of peanuts.

But crows aren't deemed clever simply because they follow biologists around. They share other traits of the 'intelligent animals' including a culture that emphasizes mating for life and cooperative childrearing. Crows, like humans, have a fairly long adolescence and will hang around their parents for four or five years, snacking on whatever the

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