# Since when do crows eat bird seed?



## help with pigeo (Jul 9, 2009)

There had always been a lot of crows in our neighborhood, especially in winter. They have never shown the slightest interest in the bird feeders. Suddenly for the last week they've been coming in droves, bulking the other birds away any, and leaving not a single seed on the feeders or on the ground. It wouldn't bother me as much if they would at Keats chase away the hawks, but last week the trees were full of crows when a hawk came and grabbed a pigeon off the platform feeder, and not a peep of a warning from the crows. On the weekend I can somewhat work around them and put food out after they leave. But during the week I have to just put seed out before I go to work and hope some of the other birds manage to get some. 
Also there are only about four pigeons that still come, compared with about 20 regulars we had all summer. I haven't seen squeaky, Mexico. Or pigy in weeks. I don't know if they moved on to a safer place or if the hawks have wiped out the whole flock. The four that come now are different birds , not part of the summer/fall group


----------



## help with pigeo (Jul 9, 2009)

That's bullying the other birds away


----------



## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

The Crows will eat anything. How about putting some dry cat food out for them. They will like that more than the seed and the other birds may return.


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I feed the crows...this may sound strange, but I fed them some left over raisen bran mixed with dry cat food and they ate two big bowls of it, all gone... so now that is what I give them away from the main tweety bird feeder.


----------



## Guest (Dec 22, 2009)

Crows dont really help here much,they only seem to bother the redtails and I dont have a problem with redtails they are way to big to sneak up on my birds


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

LokotaLoft said:


> Crows dont really help here much,they only seem to bother the redtails and I dont have a problem with redtails they are way to big to sneak up on my birds


yeah, sometimes they earn their snacks, but most times they don't...but now Im attached to seeing the family that comes here, esp because I call and this one big one comes when I call him..it is just so cool that he knows me now...a wild bird.....smart birds!


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

help with pigeo said:


> There had always been a lot of crows in our neighborhood, especially in winter. They have never shown the slightest interest in the bird feeders. Suddenly for the last week they've been coming in droves, bulking the other birds away any, and leaving not a single seed on the feeders or on the ground. It wouldn't bother me as much if they would at Keats chase away the hawks, but last week the trees were full of crows when a hawk came and grabbed a pigeon off the platform feeder, and not a peep of a warning from the crows. On the weekend I can somewhat work around them and put food out after they leave. But during the week I have to just put seed out before I go to work and hope some of the other birds manage to get some.
> Also there are only about four pigeons that still come, compared with about 20 regulars we had all summer. I haven't seen squeaky, Mexico. Or pigy in weeks. I don't know if they moved on to a safer place or if the hawks have wiped out the whole flock. The four that come now are different birds , not part of the summer/fall group



Put the seed for the song birds in feeders that would be difficult for the Crows to use. Something they can't land on. After a while they should give up and stop coming. You can feed them as suggested here, but if you don't want them around, that would just encourage them to keep coming back. But if you use a feeder they can't get to, and feed them a little distance from that feeder, it may be fun to have them coming.


----------



## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

I am a big Corvid fan...I think they rock. Around here, they give hawks hell...so you gotta luv that.

I would echo what others have said regarding differentiating the food and how it is offered.

Also, generally if you notice a hawk has caught on to a feeding location and/or time, be sure to take steps to change it up asap....


----------



## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

they will eat anything, this time a year it's getting pretty tough for them to find thier favorite foods, carrion, berries ect, so they have found your feeder.
i love them also, such an amazing family structure and so flippen smart.
i put dry dog food and peanuts out for them, other birds love it also like bluejays, titmous's or is it titmice, idk, even the nuthatches go for the dog food.
they titmice even hang on my screen looking at me until i throw out peanuts for them


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Our backyard is woodsy, but just over the back fence, there are always crows. They never have come to out yard for the bird feeders, and I always wondered why they go over there. I thought maybe it was just too woodsy for them. After reading these posts, I'm thinking that they are over there for the cat food that my neighbor always leaves out for the feral cats that hang around there. So they like cat food huh? Would that be hard cat food, or soft cat food?


----------



## Brummie (Feb 16, 2009)

You are dealing with one of the smartest bird's on this planet, "Mary of Exceter" would know more.
Crow's will eat vegetation or meat...they are survivalist's. The only way I can encourage them to stay in my neighbourhood, is by not using chemical's, not cutting down my tree's, and my koi pond has a constant stream of water.


----------



## Whitedove06 (Jul 7, 2009)

As an avid bird watcher, as well as pigeon fancier, I've seen Common Crows hunt for earthworms in the wet woods in springs, and cooperative hunting with a Red shouldered Hawk. The Hawk would land near the crows and walk around like a Robin, pulling up worms!
It was neat!


----------



## Brummie (Feb 16, 2009)

Whitedove06 said:


> As an avid bird watcher, as well as pigeon fancier, I've seen Common Crows hunt for earthworms in the wet woods in springs, and cooperative hunting with a Red shouldered Hawk. The Hawk would land near the crows and walk around like a Robin, pulling up worms!
> It was neat!


A man of my own heart. Amazing bird's. After the bird flu, I was scared we would not see them again. But little by little, there coming back.
And I don't attribute that to man!


----------



## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Crows are scavengers and ominovores .. will eat just about anything that doesn't eat them first  Indeed, they are extremely smart birds and have an amazing family/social structure. 

It's not bird flu that has killed the crows in North America .. it's West Nile Virus.

Terry


----------



## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

Brummie said:


> A man of my own heart. Amazing bird's. After the bird flu, I was scared we would not see them again. But little by little, there coming back.
> And I don't attribute that to man!


*Hi BRUMMIE, Not the bird flu ,but rather the WEST of NILE VIRUS.*GEORGE


----------



## help with pigeo (Jul 9, 2009)

I don't mind the crows at all, cat food is definately out, too many cats around. We live in the city, our yard is small, so there really is no away from the other feeders. Inaddition to a typical round feeder for songbirds, we have a platform feeder that about 4-5 pigeons can eat comfortably, although we've counted as many as fifteen on it, pretty funny to watch. I also sprinkle some food around on the ground. I guess we'll have to accomodate the crows, they've always been here, just never ate here. We have plan for a platform feeder for the pigeons and morning doves, that we think/hope will give them a chance to escape a hawk attack. Hopefully this weekend or next we can get it made


----------



## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

jay they will eat both, i just go for the dry cause it's less stinky! and i use puppy food because it's better bite sized pieces and has less alkaline in it, i soak the puppy food for the babies when i have them


----------



## doveone52 (Aug 3, 2009)

Come to think of it, I have seen a large number of crows this year. So glad they're making a comeback!


----------



## Brummie (Feb 16, 2009)

george simon said:


> *Hi BRUMMIE, Not the bird flu ,but rather the WEST of NILE VIRUS.*GEORGE


Geez, sorry George...maybe I'm in denile (get it?)


----------



## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Brummie said:


> Geez, sorry George...maybe I'm in denile (get it?)


NICE "play" on words there, Brummie (for denial)...  

There is a term for words that sound alike but are spelled differently and can have different meaning(s)...(homonym??) 

Love and Hugs
Shi


----------



## drifter (Oct 7, 2009)

True they are scavengers; however, I never thought about them eating bird seed. I know they love pecans and I often wondered how they break the hard shell of a pecan to get at the meaty part. Native pecans have a very hard shell.


----------



## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

grifter said:


> True they are scavengers; however, I never thought about them eating bird seed. I know they love pecans and I often wondered how they break the hard shell of a pecan to get at the meaty part. Native pecans have a very hard shell.


True about the pecans, Grifter. However, when I lived in San Antonio waaay back when, we had pecan trees in our backyard and some had thin shells...soooo much easier to "shell!"

Love and Hugs
Shi


----------



## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

you can believe how strong that beak is, i have found out more than once the hard way.
and here's what some do when the beak won't do it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYUfXwGT71I


----------



## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Altgirl...MANY THANKS for that video!!

WHAT a RIOT!! Y'know...I'd be willin' to bet that many Crows are MUCH smarter than MANY HUMANS!!

Love those Crows!!

Love and Hugs
Shi


----------



## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

here's another one making a tool
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtmLVP0HvDg


----------



## drifter (Oct 7, 2009)

Sounds as if you've had some close encounters with crows. After seeing the video I now know crows are even smarter than I thought they were. Thanks.





altgirl35 said:


> you can believe how strong that beak is, i have found out more than once the hard way.
> and here's what some do when the beak won't do it
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYUfXwGT71I


----------



## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

i get a few every year, only had a few babies, oh boy i loved those messy funny birds.
they didn't bite me, but the injured adults that have come in have got me before


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

How amazing was that? Loved it! Thanks for sharing it Jodi.


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

altgirl35 said:


> jay they will eat both, i just go for the dry cause it's less stinky! and i use puppy food because it's better bite sized pieces and has less alkaline in it, i soak the puppy food for the babies when i have them


Thanks. I have soaked hard dog food before, and put it out for the starlings in winter and springtime. They carry it away to feed babies with it, then eventually bring the babies back to the feeders. Didn't know crows liked it, or would take it without soaking. Thanks again.


----------



## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

another nice thing about not soaking it is in the summer it won't attract flies as much as the soaked stuff does


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

altgirl35 said:


> another nice thing about not soaking it is in the summer it won't attract flies as much as the soaked stuff does


Good idea.


----------



## help with pigeo (Jul 9, 2009)

Great videos! I'll try the puppy food, I can put it on top of a stack of blocks in the corner of our yard. It's sort of away from the feeders.


----------



## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

you'll probably need to put it by the feeders at first and every day move it a little closer to where you want them to go eat


----------



## Guest (Dec 24, 2009)

my crows like eggs but I can never get them to go where I want them too lol


----------



## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

another food they luuuuuuv is pitted cherries


----------



## Guest (Dec 24, 2009)

altgirl35 said:


> another food they luuuuuuv is pitted cherries


so your saying they dont like cherrys with pits lol


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Lokota. They're VERY smart birds, and they know the difference. LOL.


----------



## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

i cut them out just cause they are toxic and i do the same for my parrots


----------



## shalimar (Nov 23, 2009)

*Since when do crows eat bird seed*

When I saw this post I just had to reply regarding crows...

My observation where I live the crows come to my area where I feed the birds, but I put bird seed in the fork of a tree and they eat the food there. Since winter is here I bought corn for them. And yes, they do eat cat food. I have noticed they do not like the Redtail Hawk and we will see the crows with the Redtail in the sky... "what a show"... I think the redtail goes after the eggs from the crows... the crows will go after that hawk with a grawl sound.. and it seems like they have called other crows in on the chase.... sometimes we have counted almost 30 crows or more after a hawk...and the crows will take turns resting in between the chase. They do help keep the hawk away, but I have seen the crows out in our field with the Coopers forgering for field mice or whatever else that is out there... 
Crows are very interesting and smart birds and fun to watch.


----------

