How to befriend the crows near you

Pick one spot and one time of day. Put out a small handful of unsalted peanuts in the shell, then step back and let the crows eat. Repeat it every day, stay calm and predictable, and add a word or whistle you always use. Trust builds in stages over weeks and months.

In the wild, crows eat almost anything: insects, worms, seeds, fruit, eggs, small animals and scraps.

To feed them, unsalted peanuts in the shell are the classic. Plain cooked egg, plain dry dog or cat kibble, unseasoned meat scraps, suet, berries and corn are also good. Keep portions small so nothing is left to spoil.

Ravens are larger, about hawk sized, with a wedge-shaped tail, a heavier bill and shaggy throat feathers. They croak and often travel in pairs. Crows are smaller, have a fan-shaped tail, caw, and usually move in family groups.

Avoid chocolate, avocado, onion and garlic, caffeine and alcohol, the sweetener xylitol, moldy food, and anything salty, seasoned or fried, including salted peanuts.

Bread is not toxic, but it fills crows up without much nutrition, so keep it rare.

Crows recognize individual human faces, so they do learn who you are. Signs that they trust you: they wait nearby at feeding time, they show up when you step outside, they stay instead of flying off when you come out, and over time they come a little closer.

Some follow people on walks or call when they see them. Every crow is different, and the app's trust ladder lets you log each step as it happens.

Crows often notice a regular food spot within days. Taking food within about 20 feet of you commonly takes 2 to 8 weeks of steady feeding, and some crows take months. Closer trust can take months to years. Every street is different.

Yes, crows remember faces for years. The famous crow grudges are against people who threatened them, not people who stopped feeding them.

If you stop, they will check your spot for a while and then go back to their other food sources. If you are going away, ask someone to keep the routine, or pick it back up when you return.

Crows have many calls. Loud, harsh, repeated caws often mean an alarm, or a group mobbing a hawk, owl or cat. Softer calls pass between family members. In summer, a nasal, repeated begging call usually comes from young crows asking their parents for food.

Science is still learning what many crow calls mean. The app explains 11 common calls and how sure researchers are about each one.

Feeding crows is allowed in most places, but local rules vary. Some cities, parks and homeowner associations limit feeding wildlife.

In the United States crows are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so it is illegal to harm them, keep them, or keep their feathers or nests. Check your city and province or state rules.

Some people do find small objects left at their feeding spot, like pebbles, buttons or bits of glass. Nobody knows for sure what the crows mean by it, and many long-time feeders never get one. Treat a gift as a bonus, not a goal.

What is documented about crow gifts

A fully feathered young crow on the ground is usually a fledgling. It spends several days on the ground before it can fly well, and its parents are nearby feeding it. Leave it be and keep pets away.

If it is injured or in danger, call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

In spring and early summer, crow parents defend their young, especially fledglings learning to fly. It usually lasts a few weeks. Take a different route for a while, wear a hat or carry an umbrella, and do not approach the young bird.

In the United States, no. Crows are protected by federal law, and keeping one requires a special permit that is only given for things like wildlife rehabilitation and education. Other countries have their own rules.

Crows are wild, social birds that live in families. The good news is you do not need to keep one to have a real relationship with one. That is what befriending is.

Most crows stay in the same area all year, though some northern crows move south for the winter. What changes is their routine.

In fall and winter, crows fly off at dusk to sleep in big communal roosts, sometimes miles away. In spring they get quiet and secretive while they nest. If your crows disappear for a while, keep your routine steady. They often come back.

Done responsibly, it can be a lovely relationship. The downsides are real but manageable: crows can get loud while they wait, more food brings more crows, leftovers can attract rats, and not every neighbor will love it.

Feed small amounts at a reasonable hour, keep the spot clean, and you avoid most of the problems.

Put food out when your crows arrive rather than leaving it sitting. Crows learn your schedule fast and will often be waiting.

Peanuts in the shell help, since crows carry them off to eat or hide. Small amounts, a spot crows can reach quickly, and picking up what is left all leave less for other visitors.

It can if there is food left over. Put out only what the crows finish in a few minutes, pick up leftovers, and never feed after dark.

If your crows get noisy early in the morning, feed at a time that suits your street. Keeping it small and clean is the best way to keep neighbors on your side.