Cool critters: Brainy, loud, grudge-holding crows have something to say

They dress in black, hang out in noisy groups and hold grudges if you tick them off. These aren’t members of an outlaw motorcycle gang. They’re crows hanging out in your yard, neighborhood parks and store parking lots.

And this time of year, they’ve got plenty to crow about.

American crows are typically noisiest in late spring into July, said University of Washington ornithologist John Marzluff, who has studied crows for nearly 40 years. Most of this season’s eggs have hatched, and protective parents are now watching over their nestlings, he explained.

“They caw at other crows to defend their territory and caw at intruders they perceive as a threat,” ranging from hawks, squirrels and owls to humans, Marzluff said. What’s more, baby crows add to the clamor, especially when they demand food early in the morning after developing a big appetite overnight, he added.

“When parents return to feed the nestlings, there is loud begging,” Marzluff explained.

In upcoming weeks, the youngsters’ high-pitched begging calls will get louder and more frequent as they fledge but stay near the nest. Wanting attention and food, they’ll call out to their parents, and “helpers” may respond as well.

Besides the three or so babies, the family unit of the American crow typically includes the mom and dad and “several of their kids hatched in previous years, which can include up to 15 birds” – all of whom help with childrearing, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Aunts and uncles might help, too. This cooperative approach to parenting is rare among bird species, the organization said on its website.

Empty nest syndrome is probably something the crow parents don’t experience. After all, this year’s babies might stay in the area of their parents for up to five years, according to behaviors documented in a stream of studies published since the early 1980s. All the while, the kids will grow bigger, help raise their siblings, play with each other and occasionally argue.

That means the ruckus on your lawn may be a family of crows not that different than a family of humans.

But besides being family oriented, American crows are remarkably adaptable, said Marzluff. As humans reshaped their landscapes into towns and cities, the crows figured out how to thrive in them, he explained.

“Crows are keenly perceptive of what goes on in their environment,” he said.

Marzluff’s Seattle-based research has shown that crows recognize human faces, and if they perceive you as dangerous, they’ll hold a grudge and pass it on to family and friends. Should these aggrieved crows spot you – even in a crowd – you’ll get heckled. Worse, you’ll get dive-bombed.

And once your face is ingrained in the crow’s memory, it may be there for good. Marzluff found that crows can hold grudges for as long as 17 years. This long-lasting memory of who’s not trustworthy “has helped them be successful in human civilization,” he said.

Therefore, you might want to keep in mind that there could be a price to pay if you dare to ruffle their feathers.