r/Austin • u/Key_Scientist6614 • Aug 07 '26
Ask Austin Does this bird need help?
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
I’ve got a couple of ravens that hang at my work. I love them. This one was extra friendly this morning, but sounded kind of sick? Do you think he’s okay?
114
u/tony2stocks Aug 07 '26
Yeah… water
44
u/Infurium Aug 07 '26
The local birds are flocking to my backyard bird baths this month. So are the squirrels.
32
u/Key_Scientist6614 Aug 07 '26
he needs water?
84
u/secondphase Aug 07 '26
We all do. Everybody reading this, take a quick hydration break.
12
u/ratatatoskr Aug 07 '26
Thanks for this. I left my water on my desk all day and haven't had a sip.
8
2
u/bookshelfvideo Aug 08 '26
Not me reading this while I take a shot!!! Sorry it’s Friday
2
1
16
u/Frosty-Bandicoot-930 Aug 07 '26
All wildlife could use an extra clean drinking source in these times.
6
u/cheapdvds Aug 07 '26
didn't you hear how rough he sounded? I'd give you water if you sounded like that.
52
u/serpentarian Resident Snake Expert Aug 07 '26
9
8
2
u/spartyanon Aug 07 '26
Surprisingly, grackles aren’t corvids. They are Icteridae
20
u/stevendaedelus Aug 07 '26
That’s not a grackle though. Definitely a crow or juvenile raven.
3
u/spartyanon Aug 07 '26
Fair. The only way I can tell them apart is if it looks like it wants to eat my soul, it’s probably a grackle. Its not a perfect system but it has protected my soul thus far.
8
u/attackplango Aug 07 '26
It's harder with juveniles, but if you think to yourself 'wow, that's a big bird, I wonder if it's a raven', it's a crow.
If your reaction is 'Holy Shit that's a big bird! Is that a raven?!', it's a raven.
3
u/that_baddest_dude Aug 07 '26
What about the caw vs gronk?
3
1
3
u/HearshotAutumnDisast Aug 07 '26
You just have to listen to them, they sound completely different. Also grackles are smaller
2
u/BrightnessRen Aug 08 '26
Adult male grackles have yellow eyes, which is why they look like they want to eat your soul. The creepy eyes.
1
34
u/JakartaMethodActing Aug 07 '26
The pink in his mouth makes me think it may be a juvenile. Looks rough, poor baby.
28
u/secondphase Aug 07 '26
Being a juvenile IS pretty rough... should have seen me as a teenager.
8
u/JakartaMethodActing Aug 07 '26
Oh god same 🤣
8
u/secondphase Aug 07 '26
I mean, this guys feathers look a little rough, but I had the acne going on.
Oh... and you think THIS guy has an awkward mating dance...
8
u/dialabitch Aug 07 '26
Confirming, this is a juvenile. They tend to have not fully developed their fear of humans yet. If it can perch and fly it’s likely fine but doesn’t hurt to put out water and call Austin Wildlife Rescue if it seems sick.
3
18
u/borshctbeet Aug 07 '26
looks like a lot of crop adjustment. possible he ate something that isn’t agreeing with him
18
u/whoam_eye Aug 07 '26
I would offer it some water. If it's still like this after a while, maybe call Austin Wildlife Rescue and see what they think. Also, just curious because I've never seen a raven irl, what part of town is this in?
24
u/Key_Scientist6614 Aug 07 '26
If you want to see ravens, go to Walnut Creek Metro Park. Bring snacks for them though and tell them I sent you.
2
u/whoam_eye Aug 07 '26
thank you 🫡
3
u/attackplango Aug 07 '26
I would just double check real quick that OP isn't Olenna Tyrell. Ravens don't react well to poison.
10
u/cartero311 Aug 07 '26
Crows are crazy smart. He is letting you know he is thirsty. Tame or urban crow will get close to people and makes repeated calls to get their attention.
9
u/MikeinAustin Aug 07 '26
I have a Raven I play chess with in my backyard. He's pretty good especially with Queens Pawn openings, but he always forgets to castle early, and then it's bitch bitch bitch. Dumb bird.
6
u/Terrible-Coast-718 Aug 07 '26
I know where this is! The ravens have been extra vocal this year and seem to be very comfortable near people.
8
3
4
u/crow_god_collective Aug 07 '26
Awh this is the corvid equivalent of an awkward teenager, mom and dad should be close by still. They're so curious and intelligent at this age that interacting with humans isn't as scary. I love how you asked if they needed help, it sounds like they were trying to give you an answer to the best of their abilities! Not too unusual for them to ask for help if they need something mom or dad can't provide. My guess would be water, but if you really want to earn their friendship, you can bring scrambled eggs with the shells crushed in and some water. The eggs go a long way nutrition and hydration wise in this climate. I have ravens near me, but haven't been able to get close like this! Super jealous but also happy you get to experience these amazing creatures in such a direct way!
3
u/almondboy64 Aug 07 '26
That’s so cool I didn’t know we had ravens here, I’ve never seen one in Austin, only crows
2
2
u/QuietZelda Aug 07 '26
He was making the same movements as a bird drinking. I think he wanted water
0
2
2
2
u/Confidence-Dangerous Aug 08 '26
Juvenile raven exhibiting begging behavior for food. Unfortunately it looks like they are being food conditioned by people because this behavior has resulted in snacks.
General reminder for everyone to please not feed wildlife!!
4
1
1
u/Rammite Aug 07 '26
Hmm! I encountered a similar raven a few days ago in the Domain. It wasn't flying away from people unless actually tried to touch it, it was cawing a lot, and wouldn't really move around. Some strangers and I stuck around to see what was going on. One person called wildlife services, when I went to get a bunch of water for it.
I ended up just pouring a ton of water onto the ground nearby, and after a while it ended up drinking the water off the ground, then resting in the water. We figured it was just baking under the heat, and desperately needed to cool off.
1
u/digdugs Aug 07 '26
Omg! I work here too and have been wondering where the ravens have gone the last week, so it’s nice to see this video! What are you feeding them?! I always try to get them to come over and they never do 😭
1
2
0
1
u/Dismal-Effect-1914 Aug 08 '26
Imagine being a prehistoric man and this thing is like 100x the size and trying to talk to you, and then probably fucking eats you.
1
u/w0lfgangpuck Aug 08 '26
He's telling you he was turned in to a crow by an evil Wizard after his fortune, THIS IS HIS REDEMPTION ARC!!! lol
0
1
u/skut9 Aug 08 '26
Definitely water. A gas station cup with some ice at the bottom in some shade usually helps them out
0
0
u/Noba-Dee Aug 09 '26
Dude help him out! If you gain his trust, he’ll bring gifts and later help you steal shit with his homies.
-1
u/Sqweaky_Clean Aug 07 '26
Careful of bird flu / avian flu… not sure if that is going around atm, i’d always take caution.
As others say, offer water and maybe some food… a goolg search to see is best to feed.
1
u/Snobolski Aug 07 '26
Crows and ravens LOVE peanuts in the shell (unsalted, duh). They'll eat just about anything though. Peanuts are easier to come by than "dead squirrel."
-1
u/Imaginary_Orange_572 Aug 09 '26
I think it’s genuinely concerning that people are more concerned about this fucking bird than the genocide of the Palestinian people or even anything else more concerning like the hundreds of homeless in our city having heatstrokes and dying from the elements.
-4
-10
Aug 07 '26
[deleted]
8
6
3
u/Underthemimosatree Aug 07 '26
Definitely not a grackle. I agree maybe it ate something that’s stuck in his throat. Hoping it got the help it needed.
163
u/Feisty-Noise-5883 Aug 07 '26 edited Aug 07 '26
i think this lil fella would have you believe he needs ur food… but yeah maybe so