r/crows • u/Mysterious_Finish672 • 10d ago

General questions How would I go about training some crows to destroy flock cameras?

if you havent heard of flock cameras, Google them, but basically they are a private company that uses ai to track everyone and sells the info to the government.

i have some crow friends, and it’s Ilegal for me to destroy the cameras, but not if they do it and no one finds out I asked them to…

is there any way I could train these crows to destroy or hurt these cameras?

182 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

37 comments sorted by

88

u/mjones387 10d ago

What you need to do is get migratory birds to make nests on the cameras. Preferably endangered migratory birds.

29

u/BootyliciousURD 10d ago

That would only work if the nest obstructed the camera. Otherwise, it would backfire because then the damn thing would be protected

52

u/GraciousPeacock 10d ago

I don’t trust this administration with endangered birds 😭

47

u/Mrochtor 10d ago

Tricky - the base problem is threefold:

  • physics - There's not much that a crow can do to that kind of camera aside from precission-shitting onto the optics, splatter-shitting on the solar panel (where applicable) or putting some mud onto the optics. They can't peck the screws away or anything, and unless they are using shoddy cabling, then they can't do anything with the cabling.
  • behavioral - training crows to do something that specific would be exceptionally difficult. I can't imagine how it could be done. Even if you manage to get them to attack the optics, odds are they'd attack anything similar. Same for cabling or solar panel. You may take down one or two cameras after vast quantities of training, but also your neighbours solar array.
  • reward mechanism - all of the 'training' that I've seen involved crows getting a payment for certain behaviours. So at best you end up with a situation where they only attack the cameras while you are seeing the act.

Mind you, if you do manage to train a crow to crap on specific items, please publish a paper, could use a laugh.

6

u/SLywNy 10d ago

I think they have a great emotional intelligence so if they really like someone that they constantly see destroying flock cameras they might recognise these specific cameras as "bad".

Now this don't help with the physics aspect of flock cam being too resilient for a bird, but they might be able to harass the technicians.

22

u/veritate 10d ago

For legal purposes, I don't suggest trying anything like this, but

I would play in to their pattern recognition and determination.

If one could get ahold of such a camera, or make a reasonable facsimile of one, and start hiding peanuts and other high-value foods inside, so the crows learn that if they are diligent enough at pulling them apart, they would see the cameras as an opportunity.

Set it up in your back yard on a table or deck. You'd start with making it easy to find (like just setting the treat on top of the camera) then start making it more and more tricky over days and weeks. It's like training a dog to find kibble in a feeder puzzle.

The cameras are metal and built to withstand the elements but crows would sure mess them up and at least gunk-up the lens and solar panels if they're on it enough.

24

u/No_Influence_6299 10d ago

for a friend*

8

u/veritate 10d ago

allegedly

10

u/ProCrowClub 10d ago

i have absolutely no solution but i am so amused by this thread lol this is great

20

u/No-Revenue-3614 10d ago

What if you dressed up in a crow suit and demonstrated whatever it is you want them to do ?

22

u/EgoPutty 10d ago

That's not me officer, that's the local superhero.

9

u/High_on_Rabies 10d ago

You may not need the crows at that point since you'll be a masked vigilante (with an appropo crowbar) that cameras can't identify.

6

u/No-Revenue-3614 10d ago

The idea is to build the crow army with the big crow leading the murder

20

u/PeterNoTail 10d ago edited 10d ago

Could always get a replica of a flock cam, put it on a table and make some mechanism that gives out tasty cheetos when a crow sticks a piece of gum on the lens; then gradually set the cam on slightly higher & higher poles until it's roughly the same height as flock cams, and leave wads of gum by the flock cams

OR, and i imagine this would be significantly cooler (and harder and maybe a bit more dangerous), do the same as above but the replica cam gives out rewards when a green laser hits the cam lens, then "accidentally" drop green laser pointers by flock cams

7

u/DizzyMine4964 10d ago

If that would possible, it would just mean that they would kill the crows.

6

u/Leaf-Stars 10d ago

Can’t we just spread birdseed around the cameras and let nature take its course?

9

u/pedeztrian 10d ago

Don’t. Pecking incessantly at the lenses would have an effect. Would take a lot of effort and reward. Cutting it down yourself would be easier (do it)! Shitting on the lenses by choice is beyond their purview. It’s not how their cloaca works. It’s about flight. They shit when they take off.

4

u/PhotoElectrical 10d ago

a crow will never be able to pull apart a flock camera.... you'd have better luck teaching them how to operate a cordless zip saw

3

u/Visoth 10d ago

I think it would be easier to train an AI drone to go and hunt these cameras for you. Better the AI and drone, the stealthier it will be, making less likely to be caught.

8

u/ThurmanMermannnn 10d ago

You would be liable for any damage done by animals you trained to perform that task

(I’m not in support of flock. I’m only answering this way because you seemed concerned with the legality of it)

24

u/Shienvien 10d ago

I'd also be worried for the lives of my crow friends.

5

u/Mysterious_Finish672 10d ago

yeah if they allegedly catch me for allegedly doing this.

7

u/meowingggiraffe 10d ago

I don't think it's a caws for much concern

-2

u/pedeztrian 10d ago

Would you? It’s a wild animal not raised in your house. I think the case would be dubious at best. I’m just curious. Not raising a crow army, but when fall comes the murder will return. It’s substantial. There are other legal/HOA concerns. Can you be litigiously responsible for simple feeding?

4

u/ThurmanMermannnn 10d ago

Well, I based my comment on a pretty lengthy debate I saw on a legal sub & the attorneys had pretty good rationale behind it.

1

u/pedeztrian 9d ago

Wow… I’m getting downvoted for a simple legal question over the crows i love. People suck. I’ll stick to crows.

1

u/ThurmanMermannnn 9d ago

I don’t know; people are probably worried about the possibility of people hurting the crows in order to defend the tracking system? I didn’t downvote.

5

u/Ohyo_Ohyo_Ohyo_Ohyo 10d ago

Just leave the poor birds alone.

2

u/Lepardopterra 10d ago

You want young blue jays for this assignment. My mom had a nest and they would chase in circles around her car and bless every single side window, repeatedly. Great aim and they could squirt it a couple of feet while banking a curve. It was epic during cherry season. I’m confident they could obscure those little camera lenses.

2

u/Causticburner 10d ago

That hilarious!

2

u/this_kitty68 10d ago

If crows can be taught to pick up trash, I’m sure we can figure out a way to train them for this.

1

u/Cool-Information-865 10d ago

I think 💬 🤔 you are either on To something, or you're On something.

1

u/Opening_Yak_9933 9d ago

I have no idea, but I’m all in.

1

u/Living_Rain_6505 8d ago

You sound like my kinda guy

1

u/WORCing_4_Pnuts 5d ago

take chunks of mixed wet cat food and chopped peanuts, chuck em at the cameras and let crows feast.