In a post on Life Hacker, Stephen Johnson shares how he befriended a murder of crows. “I’m going to have a ton of crows—a murder of crows—following me around like a black cloud of menace,” he says. “And I will use my personal crow army to destroy my enemies.”
Birds want a safe, quiet place to gather. Pets, wind chimes, and other things that sound threatening will make it harder to encourage crows to come over to your place. They also like bushes, trees, and water sources, so a bit of landscaping is in order.
Crows are known for being transactional. Nuts, eggs, meat, or dog and cat food are favorite choices. Leave the food in an open area and make yourself scarce. The crows are unlikely to feed if you’re hovering. They also recognize patterns, so leaving food in the same place at the same time of day can help them develop the habit of visiting on schedule. “If all goes well, the crows you attract will eventually associate you with the food and the nice environment of your back yard, and this is where the fun begins,” Johnson says.
If your early adopters like you, they’ll bring friends. If they really like you, they’ll bring shiny objects as a thank-you. Some people have reported that their local murder has become protective of their territory (ie: your house and yard). Johnson says research even suggests that crows can be taught to dislike the same people you do and do not forget a face or bad behavior, even years after a single incident. And they’ll tell their friends.
What happens next? That’s up to you.
