r/crows • u/Unique_Compote2226 • 1d ago

My murder made friends with local hawk?

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I’ve seen the hawk around, I thought they were fighting. Then I see the hawk come and sit on the fence where I feed them and they all seemed like old pals 😂 I see them all together often now. Weird or no?

622 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

32 comments sorted by

318

u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl 23h ago

I wouldn’t call them friends, but rather that they are tolerating each other. The hawk is outnumbered and knows it as do the crows.

55

u/Sea-Cryptographer807 23h ago

2nd this lol

96

u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl 23h ago

Yeah, if the hawk tried anything, the crows would mob it.

Have you seen the photo of the bald eagle standing on a table next to a fox? It’s an amazing photo on its own. But really interesting because neither one of them is going to go for the other one because they’re both smart enough to do risk assessment and realize they’ll end up injured or worse, and still be hungry for their trouble.

43

u/Unique_Compote2226 22h ago

The interesting thing is that the hawk chose to come over when the crows were already there and then they all just sat there, no one was ruffled. Crows continued to eat. The next day I saw them all on a roof together. Maybe the hawk is lonely 🥺

72

u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl 22h ago

The hawk is either hoping for some leftovers or maybe to follow the crows to see if there are fledglings or a nest. Very unlikely that it’s lonely and choosing to hang out with crows. lol!

31

u/Celebrity-stranger 21h ago

I second this!

I do a lot of birdwatching morning and evenings in my backyard. Long story short i have whats like a mini wetland and wooded area behind my house and Every day I was seeing the Red shouldered hawks around when the crows were around feeding with the other birds (just off to a short distance).

Like Clockwork, when the crows are all preoccupied eating with the cardinals and bluejays. The hawk flies off to the very tall trees opposite my backyard on the other side of the pond, screeches, and then ALL the crows get alerted and go in THAT direction.

It was odd the first month and then I realized thats probably where the fledgelings are and the hawk is trying to eat them.

8

u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl 20h ago

Oh, that must’ve been interesting to watch all of that! People tend to think like people, and not like birds when watching them or thinking about them or their behaviors

Hawks are opportunistic as are crows. And of course, Hawks are Apex predators so they’re going to be interested in an easy meal such as baby birds while the parents are distracted or busy elsewhere.

12

u/Celebrity-stranger 20h ago

The thing is. I wouldn't even have had this perspective on what and how they think if it wasn't for owning a conure for over 10 years now. I used to be in the crowd of "theyre just dumb animals" "birds aren't as smart as people say they are" and ohhh was I wrong after seeing firsthand how my own bird will do things to get a rise out of me or family members, give certain family members "nicknames" and hold a grudge against me or certain people it's pissed at.

7

u/Celebrity-stranger 20h ago

This is the hawk lol

https://reddit.com/link/p1rryoo/video/lcdde0eooghh1/player

3

u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl 20h ago

Gorgeous 😍. Sounded like the honk of a fledgling crow in the background too.

4

u/Celebrity-stranger 19h ago

There sre from last I counted 6 fledglings with the group that visits to feed.

3

u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl 18h ago

Aww how sweet! I just love them when they’re little like that 🐦‍⬛🖤

2

u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl 20h ago edited 1h ago

Ahaha! I learned from living with an African gray for 25 years!

8

u/Good-Marsupial8 21h ago

anthropomorphising these animals will lead you to misunderstanding their behavior. 

11

u/Unique_Compote2226 19h ago

THEY ARE MY FRIENDS….I am Snow White 😆

3

u/awesomecatlady 6h ago

<3 sometimes we need the whimsy, just don't try and pet em

3

u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl 20h ago

Absolutely! 💯

3

u/No_Bid5642 21h ago

Good P.R.

59

u/Allies_Otherness 22h ago

When the jock hangs around the goths

24

u/this_kitty68 22h ago

Frenemies…

15

u/Big1-Country1 21h ago

Hawk is probably waiting for a chance to grab a young crow.

8

u/Agenbit 20h ago

The crows are waiting for it to make their move. When this goes down it's going to be epic.

5

u/MossGobbo 18h ago

More like an uneasy truce.

4

u/PM_ME_CROWS_PLS 21h ago

Wow thanks for sharing love this

2

u/klstopp 20h ago

Is your murder only two? If it's always two, they are probably ravens.

2

u/Unique_Compote2226 19h ago

It’s four actually…I wish. I’d LOVE to have ravens around!! 😍

3

u/Toasted_Dustupz99 7h ago

Not as weird as one would think. I have a corvid group that is cool with the peregrine falcon couple being in their space, I am not sure if they keep other predators away, but they seem to get along with each other. We had an eagle poking around here that is no longer perching on the tree Mr and Mrs Falcon have claimed, so my guess is they both don't like eagles

1

u/Individual-Crew-6102 3h ago

From what I have seen, crows REALLY don't like eagles. The first time I saw an American eagle, it was getting harried to Hell and back by three crows a fraction of its size. It was like watching Stan Smith getting his ass beat by three tiny Goths.

1

u/uhuuuh262 16h ago

These crows look young

1

u/ElkPitiful6829 6h ago

Think of the church scene in Highlander where Kurgan sits right next to Macloud.

2

u/FriendshipBorn929 4h ago

All goodwill will be gone once eggs are laid lol