Crows are some of the most recognizable birds in the world due to their dark plumage and other unique features. They are curious, intelligent, wildly fascinating and have a feisty demeanor that makes it enjoyable to watch them as they bounce around in the yard.
They are also useful birds to keep in your yard. They help in pest control by eating the insects and worms damaging your garden. They also help reduce food waste by consuming all the food lying around your yard. These birds are also aggressive and chase away larger birds, including hawks and owls.
To attract crows, you need to make your yard inviting and habitable. The following will give you some useful ideas on how to attract crows.
Entice them with the Right Food
One of the most effective ways to attract crows is to feed them. Like other birds, crows fly around in search of food and water. So to keep them coming to your yard, set up a feeding station and have a feeding schedule.
Crows are omnivorous, meaning that they can eat just about anything. Start with peanuts or sunflower seeds, then upgrade to grains, fruits, and vegetables. You can also feed them with kitchen scraps, kibbled dog food, cat food, and boiled eggs and chicken.
Avoid giving the birds mushrooms, processed meats, cheese, and junk foods like chocolate since they contain ingredients that the crow cannot tolerate.
Establish a Feeding Schedule
Simply putting out food is not enough to keep the crows coming back. You should come up with a feeding routine. The key is to put out the food at the same spot and time every day. The best time to feed them is during the morning hours.
Establishing a feeding routine makes your actions predictable and is the key to building trust and establishing a relationship with them. Stay away from the food source to prevent scaring the birds away. With time, they will learn and stick to the schedule.
Place the Feeder in a Visible Spot
Next on our list of how to attract crows we have feeder placement optimization. Crows are low-maintenance. They can eat from the ground or whatever feeder you put out for them. However, the feeder must be in a visible spot to attract their attention. Select a spot in your yard that crows can easily see as they fly overhead. Next, put some food or treats in the feeder and wait for the birds to show.
Avoid areas where other animals such as squirrels or cats can access since they will chase away the crows. Also, ensure that the feeder is sturdy since crows are large birds and may tip over the feeder.
Provide a Roosting Site
Crows are social birds and enjoy communal roosting. They love settling on trees or horizontal places like fences. If your yard does not have any of these, you will need to build an artificial nesting area. Experts recommend building a wooden shelf or setting up a roosting pole.
Roosting poles are tall vertical poles with a crossbar on top. The crossbar provides a nice spot for the crows to perch and rest. The roosting poles should be sturdy to accommodate the weight of these large birds. Also, set them at a height that allows you to observe these fascinating birds. This is one of our more effective tips on how to attract crows. https://yardwiki.com/gazebo-lighting-ideas/
Install a Crow-Friendly Bird Bath
Birdbaths are an excellent way of providing crows with a regular clean water supply for drinking, bathing, and cooling down during hot summer months. They also provide an attractive spot for the birds to perch.
Placing a birdbath in your yard attracts more crows than food sources or roosting sites. Water reflects light, which catches the attention of moving crows and draws them to your yard.
Birdbaths come in a range of designs, styles, and build materials. Some of the common types include pedestals, hanging, and ground birdbaths. Whichever type you choose, ensure that it is shallow and sturdy to keep the birds safe.
Set up Fake Crows
It may seem counter-intuitive to set up decoys, but crows love socializing and tend to follow other crows when roosting. They are also investigative, so placing realistic decoy crows will attract them to the yard. When they come to check out the decoy, they will keep returning for the other features and treats you place in your backyard.
Set up at least two or three stationary crows and one moving decoy to get the best results. You should also arrange the crows in a pattern similar to how the crows congregate in real life. However, be careful not to buy a fake raven, which looks almost exactly like a crow, since these two birds are always at loggerheads.
Use Shiny Objects
Crows are attracted to shiny objects. This behavioral trait helps them to find food easier. They will go through your garbage bin searching for food and shiny objects to carry them to their nests. To take advantage of this trait, place small shiny objects around the yard or near the feeders.
You can use crumpled aluminum foil, decorative globes, garden figures, or art pieces that blend in with your backyard’s aesthetics. You can also use feeders made of reflective material to attract these birds.
Alternatively, you can place the water source near the feeding area. Water reflects light and will attract these curious birds and keep them coming back to the yard. However, ensure that the objects are large enough, so the crows do not swallow and choke on them.
Remove Danger
Crows are naturally suspicious and hyper-aware of their surroundings. They will shy away from potential risks and dangers. Therefore, if you are trying to attract crows, you must get rid of anything the bird may consider a threat. These objects include large objects like huge barrels and scarecrows.
Larger pets will also put the crows on high alert. They scare away the birds and contaminate their food. So, keep the pets inside when feeding the birds. Also, the crows may attack smaller pets like hamsters and rabbits, so it is safer to keep them away from each other.
Use Bird Calls
Crows use calls to communicate with each other. So, if you want to get their attention, you must mimic their calls. You can do so by purchasing digital or electronic callers or learning how to do it yourself. The best time to use these devices is early mornings or late evenings since they quickly respond to calls at this time.
These callers are effective and are common among hunters who use them to lure crows. Once the crows hear the call, they will come out of hiding to investigate. The difference between you and the hunters is that you don’t intend to harm them.
Start a Compost Bin
Crows are known for the ability to scavenge for food in bins and garbage. Starting a compost pit in your yard provides a natural feeding station for these scavenging birds. They will come to search for small bugs, worms, and other tasting treats in your compost.
Composting is also good for the environment since it reduces waste and introduces valuable microorganisms to the soil. However, ensure you replace the lids at night to keep rats and other undesirable creatures away.
Give them Space
Although these birds are social, they are easily spooked and will fly away if you try to get close. They are also aggressive if they sense a potential threat. Therefore, establishing a relationship needs to be on their terms.
They will not come flying to you right away, even after meeting all their needs. They need time to trust you. Once they trust you, they will allow you to be in the same space with them. But until then, keep your distance.
Have an Irresistible Landscape
Crows need to be in an environment that resembles their natural habitat. You can recreate this by planting trees and shrubs, which provide spots for perching and nesting. Ensure that the trees are well spaced out because crows tend to avoid dense areas where they are vulnerable to predators.
It may take a long time to create a habitable environment, but it is worth it. Nevertheless, crows are highly adaptable to any environment. As long as you provide food, water, and a perching ground, these birds will keep on coming back.
Remove Noise Sources
Lastly, on our list of how to attract crows we have removing noise sources. Birds are easily spooked by random noises and tend to stay away from noisy areas. Therefore, remove all noise sources in your yard. Noise sources include bells, wind chimes, and whistles. These devices make random noises that drive crows away.
Conclusion
Crows make a great addition to your garden owing to their intelligent, social and intriguing nature. To attract these birds, you must create a habitable environment. This means installing roosting areas, feeders, and birdbaths.
It also means adding plants and shiny objects to the yard and getting rid of threats and deterrents. We hope these tips have given you some ideas on how to attract crows.