Dear Editor:
Re: Crows create clever conundrum, Burnaby NOW, July 27
I feel sad when people shoot crows or hurt any wild animal. They have a right to their lives, too. If people are foolish enough to leave their garbage out so animals can go through it, then they deserve to have to pick it up again.
My crows are and have been very well trained during the years I've lived here. I would feed them scraps, but only if they did little tricks. I had one who used to come and sit on the railing, and when I looked up and waved, he would dance around like a parakeet and bob his head. I would then reward him with a scrap of food. I don't have a lot of food scraps, don't eat fat off meat or poultry. The crows just love it. They also let me know when someone is around, they have a warning caw, and I know it, and check to see what is going on. They are just as good as a watch dog. Some of the group are so friendly they will come in and eat on the railing of the deck right next to me as I put out little bits of food. I used to drive a bright blue Pacer. They would follow me for blocks when I was packing up to go away for a while.
They would watch intently as I packed the car and make sad little cawing and clicking noises. I now drive a white Ford Escort. They still watch but don't follow.
There was another strange incident, a guy came to the door selling magazines or subscriptions. He was quite insistent, and I told him what I thought of what he was selling. The crows had come in and were perched like gargoyles on the edge of the roof. They knew I was not happy about this person and started to make warning crow calls. When he was leaving, they dive bombed him and pecked him on the head.
As I say, they are terrific watchdogs. Like all living things, they do have bad habits, but so do some people. I like and find my murder of crows very interesting and very smart.
Evelyn Dyck, via email
