Baby Crow

[Willow]

Today I was outside digging the foundation for my parrot aviary and I saw a crow sitting in the yard. This year we have many wonderful, noisy, beautiful crows all around. I am always trying to take pictures of them, but they keep their distance.

So, this little one was just sitting there while I was digging, so I went up and got my camera and took a couple of photos.





I noticed he wasn't moving and I was able to get very close. I saw him open his little beak and ok "awwk!" like he wanted to be fed.

I realized he was a baby. We have had heavy rain for days here. The little one appeared drenched. I went back to where I had been digging and I got my gloves on, and I walked over to the baby. He didn't move, so I reached down to pick him up. That caused him to hop a little bit so I had him hop over to the building where there was sides of the houe on two sides of him, and I picked him up.

I kicked my dad's door for him to come down and get a basket with some hay in it and we hung it up in the tree to see if the parents would come and feed the little fellow. Unfortunately, he jumped out of the basket into the tree.



That might not have been too bad, but then he fell to theground again. :(



So, I picked him back up, we put him into the basket and went inside with him to call thw wildlife rehabilitator.



She suggested I bring him to her, especially dince there are so many outdoor cats around that would like to make a snack of him. I felt terrible taking him away from his parents but she said they generally have 2-3 chicks and hopefully they will be busy taking care of the others and not mourn him.

So, we took a couple pictures and headed off to the rehabber's house.





We loaded into the car and got ready to go.



Our baby vrow preened himself the whole way there, sitting on my fathers gloved hand.





Then he got to meet another crow who was being rehabbed. That one was a baby too, but he was twice as big as our little one. There was also an adult crow that had come in about a month ago, a woman had had him in a cage for 5 years. He was in poor health but she was trying to rehab him. I didn't get any photos at the rehabber's house. Hopefully our little one will grow up strong and enjoy his life. We were honored we were able to help him.

[Dustin]

What a cool experience!

[Winged_Victory]

You are GOOD people, thank you!

[Tiki]

That was wonderful of you to save him. I'm sure he will soon be flying wild and free!

[Brian1]

what a day, you are good people.

[Alyce Johnson]

He's so cute! He wears his giant beak very well, for such a little guy. I'm sure he will soon be all grown up & free again. He seemed really calm with you, like he could tell he was in good hands!

[Irish]

At this time of year, baby crows are often on the ground, with their parents close by in trees, and they'll squawk like crazy if anything gets near their babies. Sounds like this wasn't the case with your found baby, so you undoubtedly did the right thing by taking him into rehab. Around here, crows nest in our fir trees, and I'm always on the lookout for babies on the ground, since one of our border collies (Max) will kill any small animal (including cats) that he can catch. Luckily there have been no babies on the ground this year.

I've always wanted a pet crow, btw. It's not strictly legal, of course, but I've known people who have raised them, and they make great pets. They get tame, and if you let them be the wild creatures they are, they'll keep coming back for as long as they live for a conversation and handout :-). I enjoy all the wild ones that come to visit us, and nowadays they realize that Z and I are harmless, and will come within 3' of us while we sit on the porch in the mornings enjoying our breakfast. One of life's small pleasures :-).

[Willow]

Yes, the rehabber said that some species spend up to 2 weeks on the ground before they fly, but with all the outdoor cats around here, I don't think the little one would have stood a chance. Plus it has been raining straight for 2 weeks now, not sure how warm he could have kept. :( I hope he is doing well. Definitely illegal to try and keep them, as much as I adore crows I know he will be best off being free. But I sure fell in love in the short time he was with us.

[The Outlaw]

You did the right thing. Good for you.

When I was a little girl, back in the dark ages, my daddy brought home a very young crow. He barely had pin feathers. My dad made him a slurry of canned dog food and water. It was a makeshift formula. The baby had been in a tree that was cut down. It was in the late fall and no one expected any baby birds to be around that time of year.

Well, we named him Jimmy and he was a part of our family for almost a year. He wasn't kept in a cage, but instead he lived on our porch. He and my dog were great buddies and he would ride on the dog's back. They both loved to torment the neighbor's cat.

Jimmy was a typical crow in that he was a hoarder. My mom was complaining about a puddle in the basement. When daddy went to clean the rain gutters, he found Jimmy's stash. He had collected gum wrappers, clothespins, an old watch, and metal bottle caps. We also found a few of my little plastic cowboys and indians.

In the winter, Jimmy moved into the garage. Daddy let him out each day to explore.

I think it was during the summer that Jimmy just one day didn't come home. He had started to call to other crows and we figure he just decided to move on and raise a family. I still have the best memories of him. However, I don't suggest ever taking any wild animal as a pet. Of course, back then, I don't even think we had wildlife rehabbers.

[Stacey32]

awww. very cute! great story.

nancy, you have had so many amazing experiences! very cool.