Connecting with nature is immensely rewarding.

Ask any pet owner about how much love they receive from their buddies.
And I don’t mean dogs, cats or fish only.
Many owners have snails, birds, spiders or even snakes.

There are endless connections you can build.
Some people out there even raise tigers and bears.

So today, I began a new project to befriend the neighborhood’s crow family.

Soon I’m going to move to an apartment and start a new journey, which includes a mutual goal with my Friend and flatmate: Make a few flying buddies.

I spent the entire day reading guides on how to do it, scrolling through a sea of comments and tips, until the final conclusion was evident: DUDE, WE HAVE TO DO THIS!

Crows are extremely intelligent, and their memory is basically flawless.
Not only can they recall your features and face, they can figure out puzzles and do tricks.
They can also imitate sounds, though quite badly.
It’s mostly used as mocking, if their usual cawing fails to get your attention and supply them with nutritious fruits or seeds. If you’re not cautious, they can become needy.

At 16:00 today, I took an apple and made a handful of bite-sized bits.
There were 2 or 3 crows in the park facing our balcony, so I walked outside and gently sprinkled the apple slices next to a tree.

It took 5 minutes until the whole family came. 8 crows were here, carefully hopping towards the place where I left the treats. It was exciting to watch them gather around and eat.
Can’t wait to develop a bond and trust with these birdies, this project is one of the most brilliant things I could experiment with currently – it’s very cheap, and the results can be amazing.

The goal is to eventually have them recognize me as a friendly face.
I’ve read many stories, when the crows made an appearance after their friend was on a long vacation or trip. The owner of the place noticed that there is a group of birds sitting in front of his window or gate.
Without a doubt, they missed him – and their supply of peanuts, obviously.
They can even be taught to respond to the sounds you make, if you do it before giving the treats.
Whistling, clicking, coughing. They’ll react to your signal if you keep repeating it for weeks.
Good old Pavlov’s tricks.

In case you’re in the mood to try it, here is a decent guide on how to begin.

If you have any questions or tips, feel free to hit me up with it.
I’ll keep you updated on how the project is going.
Today was our first day with these wonderful creatures, and I have a really good feeling about it.
(The moment I wrote this sentence, one of them flew on the lamp next to our balcony):

We have a long way to go before they’ll fully trust me, but I’ll treat them well and let you know where it leads.

Have a wonderful day,
Erik

Featured Image: Andriyko Podilnyk

2020.04.07 – Day 442

UPDATES

2020.05.07.
I think they already recognize me. Sometimes they appear below our balcony, just to silently stare at me.
They’re probably waiting for a peanut rain. No caw-ing or rattling, just looking into my eyes for a minute.
Until one of them FLEW ON OUR BALCONY RAILING.
I was reading the book “Close-up“, when I hear a pair of claws landing on the iron bar, making that *clink* sound as he firmly grabs into it.
For a moment, I was confused, but very very happy.
“Are we friend already?” – I asked, but he just kept looking.
After sizing me up, he flew away. Huge smile on my face.
“We’ll get there buddy. Gonna hold you on my palm one day”

2020.05.08
Found a freshly pooped package on the balcony railing, is this their first gift?

2020.05.23 – Bird Wars.
The peanut-territory might have caused a battle between the surrounding families.
This is probably the most nut-ritious place they’ve ever seen, so the family who rules it has the advantage.
Here is a video of how the Battle of Birds feels: