It’s just after dawn on a fine August morning and “Harby” the crow has just flown in from places unknown. He’s perched in a pine tree by the house announcing to the world that he is awake and ready for action. And therefore, everyone else should be as well. He is our flying alarm clock and arrives most mornings about a half hour after sunrise. He continues to call until like magic a human appears on the porch with his breakfast. Usually, an assortment of moistened cat chow, steak and hard-boiled egg yolk. He is also content to share in whatever you may be having for your own meal. He’s not fussy.
“Harby”, is a shortened version of his name “Harbinger.” He arrived here in the early part of April with an eye and upper respiratory infection. He was abandoned by his parents probably due to the illness and was found by a neighbor while walking his dogs.
Harby spent his first few weeks with us in the house. A small cage was his home and a convenient place for us to watch him while his illness was treated. In short order Harby made the transition from cage to the freedom of the great outdoors. He spent a few hours outside each day under our protective eyes strengthening his wings, gradually increasing the time until he spent his first night out alone. We were, and still are concerned about the possibility of an owl snatching him up while he sleeps. So far, he has eluded the patrolling eyes of our local barred owls. During the day he is very alert to even the smallest speck high in the sky, instinctively wary of the ever-present threat from hawks. It’s a dangerous world out there beyond the windows of our safe and comfortable houses.
We’ve had the pleasure of raising many crows and a raven over the years and each one was a challenge. With high intelligence comes curiosity, uncanny problem-solving abilities and a wicked sense of humor. (As long as the joke is on someone else.) They require copious amounts of stimulation and attention. It’s not a small matter raising a corvid.
Harby, has already become a minor celebrity locally as he visits the neighbors regularly and involves himself in their outdoor activities. But there are dangers in his lack of fear of people. A Fed Ex driver was making a delivery recently and was unaware there was an avian welcoming committee. When Harby flew down on the driver’s head to introduce himself the driver thought he was under attack and swatted poor Harby away. It could have ended badly with the bird seriously injured. We live close to the New River Trail that is used by hikers, cyclists and people riding horseback, it’s only a matter of time before Harby sees a likely candidate for a new friend and tries to introduce himself in typical “Harby” fashion. This will always be a problem when we allow a young wild animal to imprint on humans.
Harby the crow scolding Bosley.
He’s also made friends with the crows that call this area home. In all likely hood they are his family. He disappears for hours at a time and is often seen in their company. He is easy to recognize because he is smaller than the others and has several broken tail feathers. If I pull the car over and call him, he leaves his crow friends and flies to the car and rides home in style.
His flight skills have improved dramatically over the course of a few weeks. He can dive from great heights reaching uncanny speeds before folding himself in for a double corkscrew roll and an abrupt but accurate landing on the front porch railing. He stands tall and confident while receiving gushing accolades on his performance. Like all corvids, he enjoys having his head and neck scratched and will make it known when he’s ready. If he sees me stealing a moment resting on the hammock, he’ll land on my chest put his head down and often falls asleep while I’m scratching his neck. Our German shepherd “Bosley” has a begrudging tolerance for his feathered nemesis. His nose is out of joint lately because he feels Harby gets too much attention. That’s precious time that could be spent fetching balls and going for walks. Harby does join us for walks through the woods or down our stretch of gravel road. He’ll fly from tree to tree often doing swift fly overs just millimeters above Bosley’s head, his wings grazing the dog’s ears. The rivalry between the two of them is amusing. If Bosley sees me laying on the hammock petting Harby he’ll saunter over and lay down beside us so my free hand can hang over the side and scratch his head.
Bosley and Harby deciding on who gets to be the boss of the world today.
The two of them have skills that are enviable. Bosley’s heightened sense of hearing and smell coupled with his ability to leave me in the dust when he runs is humbling. Harby’s eyesight is unbelievably fast and sharp. And of course, the ability to fly leaves me feeling like I would happily trade in my opposable thumbs for that option.
Harby is very concerned with cleanliness. He bathes at least once a day in the bird bath, and prefers the water is clean. This is taken very seriously. The splashing and shenanigans in the water are only half of the event. Upon leaving the water he flies to a nearby tree where he spends the next half hour preening every reachable feather.
Harby “Anting.”
Often, he partakes in “Anting”. This is an act few have heard of and even fewer have witnessed. Many birds position themselves on top of an ant hill allowing the ants to crawl all over their bodies. The bird will take individual ants in their beaks and rub the ants along their feathers. The ants release formic acid. The formic acid the ants release effectively acts as an insecticide, miticide or bactericide killing off parasites and bacteria the bird may have picked up in its travels. It also has the added effect of making the bird behave as though they are in a drunken state. I’ve walked up to blue jays flopping around on an ant hill and gotten only a few feet away before they seemed to snap out of it and fly off. It also leaves them smelling kind of sweet. Probably the formic acid.
There are many things we tolerate for the sake of a relationship. With people as well as with animals in our care. With Harby the cost is well worth the opportunity for a relationship with such a unique creature. Every crow or raven we’ve had the pleasure to raise for release has been bitter sweet, as the birds have always left before the first snow.
Harby is already spending less time at home every day. Where he goes and what he does while he’s gone is anybody’s guess. Our hope is that he is absorbed into the local flock and leads a full and rewarding life of a crow.
I completely adore and respect crows! Good show in helping them, and thank you for your work!