i read through “In the Company of Crows and Ravens” the last week and really enjoyed it. it’s a really neat account of the effects corvids and humans have had on each other, the way that crows and ravens have adapted to ecological changes wrought by humans and adapted their behaviors to live alongside us, as well as the ways that corvids have loomed in human consciousness.
back at the start of the pandemic i got into a daily routine of feeding the crows near my house and came to really love them. it was really cool seeing them go from distant and wary of me, often waiting 5+ minutes after i’d tossed nuts for them to eat for them to actually hop down and collect them, to eventually recognizing me on sight, cawing to gather their friends when i stepped out of the house, and so on. it was also adorable starting to see more range in their vocalizations. as they got to know me, they’d often chirp and coo at me in really precious ways.
i’d fallen out of the habit of it since moving to seattle, but picking this one up’s gotten me back to feeding them when i go out on walks in the morning. it’s a really enjoyable ritual, imo. it’s a nice way of keeping myself present on walks, of enjoying the scenery since it’s a reason to regularly glance upwards, scan the powerlines and branches of trees (and might as well appreciate the clouds while i’m at it), listening for bird calls. and it’s really nice spending some time with fellow creatures. crows are really lively and animated and intelligent, and it feels kinda spiritually nourishing taking some daily time to connect with them.