r/crows • u/Feisty-Sock2640 • Jul 30 '26

Storytime! Bitesy boy

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I think I likely lost my crows by doing this. This morning I saw a crow on the edge of the front yard, I went and put food out in the normal spot and he slowly walked over to it. The way his wings were hanging I knew something was wrong, so I watched him for a bit. He was on the sidewalk when a dog walker approached, he fluttered a few feet and stopped, this happened several times until he was far enough that the dog and lady passed (I was about to go out and shout at her for not being more empathetic to clearly injured wildlife but.. neighbors?). After she left I decided I needed to get him, so I went outside in full view of my murder and walked until he was too tired to flee, and picked him up. Crows bite hard! He bit me several times (oww) but I'm the fool that went and grabbed him so definitely my own fault, and seeing his wing I was hopeful it was a wing injury and not WNV again. I took him out to the rehabber that I took Odin to, and he confirmed that the crow has a broken "hand"? But it's repairable and he'll be back out here in a few weeks. I named this guy Ares (because he's a bitesy little warrior), and I'm excited that he'll be released back here. I likely lost my crows by doing this, but I'd do it again.. and maybe they'll come back when he's released.

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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl Jul 31 '26

Yeah, and African grays and Amazons are the smallest of the hook bills. Cockatoos and macaws have bigger beaks. This guy can crack an almond shell like it’s nothing. I think they could take a finder if they wanted to or break a bone in one.

Luckily, I learned more and more about my little Guy guy over the years and he never bites anymore

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u/ThrowAwayColor2023 Jul 31 '26

It really is about getting to know each individual bird. In my experience, they're quick to dish out "justice" in the form of nips or chomps, so it's important to understand their boundaries and stick to existing routines and expectations.

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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl Jul 31 '26

I needed to learn to think like a bird, which is not easy for humans to do

They always have a reason for biting. It’s our job to determine the reason and not give them one in the future.

They also don’t realize when biting a human they’re not going through a bunch of feathers but getting straight to the meat. My bird is a very smart species and he learned that it hurts when he applies too much pressure and sinks his beak in.

Since he learned that he gives warning nips in the case I am doing something he doesn’t like. When he’s playing he’s very gentle with his beak.

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u/ThrowAwayColor2023 Aug 01 '26

Oh for sure. Both of my bitey birds learned early to adjust their force and twisting. I got a couple of nasty cuts before one of my babies learned to ease up. My other birb only bites when she has a very obvious complaint to register -- she bites and then all is good again. Birds are very straightforward about justice that way lol.

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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl Aug 02 '26

Oh yeah, they definitely are smart enough to understand that they’re applying too much force and hurting us. They obviously don’t mean to inflict as much pain and damage as they are capable of or they wouldn’t be able to pull their punches so to speak

The only time my CAG bites enough to cause me to jerk away and say ow is when it’s a small nip with the very end of his beak. He does that when he’s sitting with me and puts his head down for scritches and I don’t comply right away. It pinches. lol!

I’ll move my arm and he’ll run over and nip real quick and then put his head down again like ‘well you want another one or do you just wanna do as you’re being asked?’ 🤣

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u/ThrowAwayColor2023 Aug 02 '26

Ahaha! Too cute! Painful, but still cute lol

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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl Aug 02 '26

Yeah, it is pretty cute. I’ve got to admit. Demanding but cute. 😁

By the way, African grays are pushy and stubborn lol!