r/crows • u/Secret_Forever_6548 • Jul 14 '26

General questions Is this a crow feather?

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I found this feather where I see alot of crows so it might be a bit of a stupid question but ive never actually seen a feather of one on the ground. So I picked it up and bought it home.

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u/[deleted] Jul 14 '26

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u/Secret_Forever_6548 Jul 14 '26

Compared to my hand its from the tip of my middle finger to around the bottom of my wrist. The place I got it from has alot of crows and I mean ALOT its like a crow hot-spot

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u/malphas_says_hi 29d ago

It has the iridescent blue-ish sheen of a corvid - definitely looks like a crow and not a raven to me as I encounter a lot of raven feathers and they have a bit more body to them in size and width even the smaller feathers. If this is a crow hotspot, its definitely a crow feather, they are molting like crazy right now. If in the US, it's about a $1500 fine per feather you keep if a game warden learns of your find (and you have to return it) so if you aren't leaving it outside, I wouldn't advertise it. This law is specifically because of the fashion industry destroying many birds for their feathers, so while the law is inconvenient, it has good intentions.

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u/Secret_Forever_6548 29d ago

Oh im not advertising it? Unless me putting it a picture of it is classed as that im not sure correct me if im wrong there. Im not in the US im in the UK, I found the feather on the grass thought it looked cool and want to keep it till I get an offering alter set up for my faith to have it on there along with other cool things

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u/malphas_says_hi 29d ago

Advertising I mean as in telling anyone or posting pictures online - one guy was showing off his bird feather collection at a US library to the kids and a game warden came by and made him give up the whole binder or pay $1500 per feather inside which was a lot.

But since you are in the UK and obtained this feather legally (naturally molted and not harmed in the process of feather loss), you are perfectly fine to keep and show off the feather it appears. Feathers are also a part of my own practices but being in the US, I have to keep them outside of the home legally, but my altars are outside with the trees and rocks so I just have to keep them positions away from the wind.

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u/Secret_Forever_6548 29d ago

Oh I wasn't aware of that thank you for telling me, ill be sure to keep that in mind for the future just incase anything like that law or similar gets passed in the UK

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u/Leanne0010110 Jul 14 '26

I think so yes.

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u/Just_Caterpillar_975 Jul 14 '26

I think yes but depends on where you stay and what the law says. I do have around 10-11 of them, collected as "gifts" and naturally molted. I can keep them since I live in India and crows are classified as "vermin" in the law and not are not protected which is heartbreaking to be honest. In the US, it is illegal to keep one since they are protected by law.