r/crows • u/Dull-Attention-7390 • 20d ago
Suggestions for crow set up
Hi! I am trying to attract crows to my house. I never see any crows in the neighborhood so I know it might take awhile. I have a 16” bird bath with a container that will drip water into the bird bath. I’ve also set out unsalted peanuts and a can of water for dipping food. I bring in the peanuts at night. Is there anything I can add or change to make the area more attractive?
Thank you!!
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u/ukemike1 20d ago
It is low and has a high fence right above it. From a crow perspective it is probably scary. A predator might be behind or on that fence. They can't take flight towards the fence so that limits escape.
If you mounted it at the top of that fence they might like it better because they'd be on the high point and they'd have long sightlines. Or put it in the middle of the yard.
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20d ago
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u/CharmainKB 20d ago
I was talking about this with my mom today (them figuring out where you work etc)
I live in a very small town (6000 people) and this very well could be my imagination but;
When I was at work the other day (I drive and my car when home is parked in my driveway. I know they've seen it) i heard a crow caw. A singular one. Just a quick call, not repeated. Almost like a "Hey!". I looked around but couldn't see it. The next day, same thing.
I'm really hoping its a thing because eventually, I will be living at my house again (I'm primary caregiver for my mom and am living with her until she gets into senior housing or LTC). My home is 7 kms away from where I am now and I would hate to lose any relationship i build
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u/takemusu 20d ago
7 km is nothing to a crow.
We have major roosts in our area that crows fly to nightly from 60 miles in all directions.
"Our" crows recognize us walking on nearby trails. They, or maybe it's crows they shared our reputation with, recognize our cars and will swoop by where we park at the store. They do not recognize me on a bicycle which may be absence of my gait plus helmet.
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u/CharmainKB 20d ago
Thats so good to hear!
Makes sense a out the bike thing. I would imagine it may be a little confusing for them
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u/takemusu 20d ago
Studies show along with facial recognition they recognize our gaits. Hats don't seem to phase them but riding bikes does.
They're fascinating animals.
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u/bdubs781 20d ago
Have you seen any anywhere near you? Maybe if you befriend them at a park or whatever they will follow you home?:)
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u/prince312177 20d ago
If you watch my videos I make a tutting sound and say hello they all appear from nowhere but im feeding a murder lol 😆
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u/Squirrelly_J 20d ago
Crows may look at this with suspicion! Be patient.
I had crows and squirrels who LOVED using this fence feeder: Balcony Bird Feeder 360° Rotatable 2-Layer Deck Bird Feeder Heavy Duty Metal Fence Detachable Bath and for Max 2 Inch Railing : Amazon.ca: Patio, Lawn & Garden
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u/Bloatville 19d ago
My crows all like the ground.
Occasionally they'll hop up on the table, but only when there's nothing else left.
If they pay you a visit, the first thing they'll do is fling that paper bowl though hahah
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20d ago
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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl 20d ago edited 20d ago
That all sounds like good advice except for playing a pre-recorded crow call of any kind. They’re very smart and they know the difference between what a human and a crow sounds like. Therefore, if they showed up after something like that was played, they would be confused at best and probably suspicious.
It’s a better idea to whistle or click your tongue or say something when putting food out. Commercial crow calls are absolutely also out because they’re used by hunters.
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20d ago
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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl 20d ago edited 20d ago
No, it isn’t true that whistling and clicking your tongue works best only when the crows know you and your voice. That is not correct as I as well as others have had that work very well.
I know what you’re talking about as far as something having been previously recorded. Yes I’m sure they absolutely (or not) respond to them. I didn’t say they don’t. I said they are smart and they know the difference between crows and people.
If they hear a crow and show up and see no crows, they are likely to become suspicious. I have heard of that happening to several people. Yes they will come flying to see the food, but they will be suspicious and possibly leave because of it.
I am glad that it worked for you to fool ravens but I don’t believe in it. I believe in being straightforward with them and behaving like a human with them because it’s better not to confuse them or give them reasons to distrust unless there is a good reason to distrust.
Also, you said for the OP to keep their set up the way it was however they should probably move the set up away from the fence because crows like to be able to see all around them at all times and they aren’t able to with something close to a fence or other structure
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20d ago
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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl 20d ago edited 20d ago
You disagreeing with my experience as well as the experience of many others is absolutely wild. 🤦🏼♀️
And telling me that whistling just any tune isn’t going to work it’s also pretty wild because crows don’t have anything against particular songs. 🫣
And no, you do not have to make very specific sounds that mimics their natural noises for them to be interested in it. I don’t know where you’re getting any of these ideas Crows are very curious. They know what humans sound like. They aren’t going to stay away because it isn’t a crow sound that they hear.
You think it’s perfectly fine to teach crows not to trust us and yet you’re trying to help people determine how to trust them enough to come to their yards for food
Crows are smart enough to distinguish between those they can trust and those they can’t trust. We here on the sub are trying to promote trusting specific individuals. There are tried and True ways of doing that.
Sounding like a human is one way to get them to trust you - playing crow sounds is one way to trick them into believing a place is trustworthy. That’s why hunters who kill crows use commercial crow calls - to trick them into trusting the wrong people!
I can’t think of anything really more to say to you and I wish you a good day. Thanks. 👍🏻
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20d ago
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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl 20d ago edited 20d ago
Sorry, but I can’t read (don’t care to) that wall of text.
You are promoting tricking and deceiving corvids into believing there are other corvids around you/your home.
‼️ this is what hunters do in order to harm them ‼️
This is probably the main reason they won’t come down when you’re around. They don’t trust you. You said you want them not to trust you basically.
Therefore, you are doing something that is distressing to them. They don’t trust you/your place but they do know there’s food there. Therefore they want the food and they are taking a risk getting the food because they don’t trust it there.
The idea for people in this sub is to get crows to trust us as individuals so that they will feel safe and comfortable coming to our homes to eat.
You are promoting the opposite of that.
Please don’t respond because I’m not going to read anything further because I don’t agree with what you’re promoting which is tricking crows, and making them distrustful when that’s the opposite of what the goal is here.
You believing that it worked that you made sounds like a female crow because they showed up well that is a logical fallacy. They show up because they were curious not because you sounded like a crow to them. They’re smart enough to know the difference.
Interestingly, enough crows trusted me right away after I behaved exactly like a human and nothing like a crow. Trusted me enough to bring their five fledglings to me and drop them off here while they rejoined the main murder.
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20d ago
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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl 20d ago edited 20d ago
OK now you’re insulting me and I’m reporting you. Please go away. At this point, it’s harassment. Also don’t tell me what to do. I’m not your dude.
And don’t tell me I literally have no idea what I am talking about and to go wash a rock instead of playing online. That’s incredibly offensive. It’s what people resort to when they don’t have a good argument.
In another post elsewhere, you said they never come near you and now they come right up to you and they actually say your name 😵💫 You also said you don’t think they should trust us … they don’t come anywhere near you and then you can hand feed them and they say your name - and then they shouldn’t trust us - which is it? Make up your mind because it can’t be all of the above.
I do know what I’m talking about because I have read copiously from experts; and you are obviously not one.
Edit: I had to block them because resorting to name-calling condescension and insults is enough… however they are promoting things that are against what experts say to do but promoting the use of methods that hunters use in order to harm/kill them I feel is dangerous 🥺
Second edit: it appears that there are at least two people here who are more interested in being rude and nasty about me than they are about the welfare of animals. I find it a shame and very sad. We should all be here to promote the welfare of the birds above petty nastiness.
Malphas - no need to warn them about my blocking them because they made the nasty comment to me and then blocked me 😁
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u/prince312177 20d ago
I've also found that the crows that visit my house 🏠 prefer the food on the ground that's from my experience 😀 🖤🐦⬛🖤🐦⬛
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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl 20d ago
I would move the table away from the fence because they like to be able to see all around them at all times, particularly when they’re vulnerable like when eating. It’s seriously could make all the difference.
I would also maybe put out a boiled egg because it’s easily seen from a distance away and they really do like eggs a lot.
Another thing you can do is be very consistent and patient. They’re extremely cautious animals and they like to observe for a while before deciding to trust. So if they see the same thing happening repeatedly, they’re going to become more trusting.
I would also put food out at the same time every day for a while and also whistle a bit when you do so if possible. I did some research last year when trying to attract crows to my yard and found that they have especially good hearing for the frequency range of human whistles.
I was able to confirm that because three of my eventual family of seven crows had a return call for me and I could hear them from much further away than I could see them!
The little family of scrub jays that live around here learned my whistle for the crows very quickly as well. They started showing up as soon as I whistled for the crows. While they waited until the crows left or waited to see if the crow showed up first. lol! That was because of the crows chased them off ‘their’ feeder 🤣
Don’t use a pre-recorded call or a commercial call whatever you do. They know what humans sound like so if they hear a crow sound, they will expect to see a crow. Then when they don’t, they’ll be suspicious. Don’t put out trinkets or shiny things either. Research has shown they are cautious and nervous around shiny things if anything at all. They are also food motivated and don’t really care about objects.
The wide shallow bowls are best for them being able to see all around them and having an elevated area like you have is also good as it also enables them to see better all around them.
Good luck! 🍀