Crows are almost everywhere. These black birds are known for their intelligence and resourcefulness, and many people want to know “how to attract crows to your yard.” But why attract crows, and how to do it?
Despite some viewing crows as nuisances, there are advantages to having them in your yard. This includes having a personal pest control that also offers clean-up services. It’s tricky to get crows to visit your backyard since they are not feeder-loving birds, but there are creative and effective ways to make it happen!
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Ways to Attract Crows to Your Yard
Bringing crows to your yard can be challenging compared to other birds. It could be because they are not regular bird feeder visitors. But they are very social avians with humans, so there are ways to attract crows and ravens to an area with these simple tips!
1. Set Up Roosting Ground
The plants that attract crows the most are trees since these provide them with a resting and nesting post. You got this one taken care of if there are several trees around your yard. Otherwise, you need to provide them with comfortable roosting spots.
Put up improvised structures that are similar to the tall structures and utility poles crows love. Make sure it is large and sturdy enough to accommodate their size and behavior.
2. Install a Crow-Suitable Feeder and Bird Bath
Crows are larger than songbirds, which are regular visitors to most bird feeders. If you want to entice them with feeders, opt for one with enough room for them, like a tray or platform feeder. You can also make your own crow feeder box.
Don’t forget the bird bath! It is a must for all birds to drink, clean themselves, and keep cool.
3. Build a Compost Bin
Being both omnivores and scavengers, crows are naturally attracted to food scraps. You make use of this information by starting a compost bin. It will work as a natural feeding station that is enticing and mess-free.
Choose a container that can hold all the waste scraps and ensure the damage of rummaging crows. Leave out your bin in a place where it can be easily spotted from above.
4. Put Up Crow Decoys
Take advantage of the crows’ crowd mentality and place fake crows around your yard to the balcony. Once your place looks like the ideal food and roosting place, it will be easier to entice them with the decoy crows.
Use 4 to 6 fake crows and place them near bird baths, roasting spots, and feeding stations. Have 1 that moves constantly, and change the location of the other decoys as much as you can. Remember that crows are intelligent and won’t be fooled by static bird displays.
5. Offer Crow’s Favorite Food
What to feed crows to attract them? Crows consume a variety of food, but their favorites are peanuts, suet, and corn. They will easily fly down to your feeder after catching sight of the sumptuous meal you have to offer.
Location is the key. Just like you would with your bird feeder, bath, and compost bin, choose a place where it can be viewed clearly while the birds are in the air.
6. Have a Regular Feeding Schedule
The task is not done after you put the food out for the crows. It is important to establish a feeding routine so they will keep coming back to your yard.
To do this, put their favorite foods out at the same time each day, consistently. It might not work after the first few days, and you’ll have squirrels or other bird visitors. But once they notice the food and trust you, they’ll grow accustomed to the schedule.
Things to Avoid When Attracting Crows
When you are trying to get crows to come to your yard, you don’t want to drive them away. It is crucial to know what not to do. Here are three things.
1. Avoid Things That Create Extra Noise
Sudden noises can scare crows despite their vocal nature. Remove things that make random noises, like bells, whistles, flags, pinwheels, and wind chimes.
There are some noises caused by strong winds that can’t be helped. Just make sure to never place feeders, birdbaths, and roosting spots near these places since it is too noisy for the crows to settle.
2. Don’t Leave Pets Outside
Small pets like cats, dogs, rabbits, gerbils, and hamsters are better off kept inside, especially when it is feeding time for the crows. These small creatures will put the black birds on high alert and even drive them away.
Besides, crows are good at remembering things. Once they see your pets, they won’t forget you have them, and it’ll take a longer time for them to trust you.
3. Never Get Too Close
Crows are shy and will fly away once you get too close. You cannot expect them to get comfortable around you after only a few days of visiting your yard. It might take months or years before they get comfortable with your presence, and even by that time, they will still be skittish.
Give them enough space and watch from afar. You can always use binoculars if you want a closer look.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are ravens friendly to humans?
Ravens are good at remembering faces. If you treat them well on your first encounter, they’ll act friendly with you next time. But if you treat them badly, you will get a taste of their sharp claws.
There are no known cases of ravens unduly attacking humans fatally. But it is best to approach any raven with caution and never expect them to be friendly and nice.
Is it bad to feed crows?
It is not recommended to feed crows in your yard. This is because these birds are highly territorial and can be aggressive. Once they figure out that humans have food, they will beg for it every time they see people.
If you don’t want birds pestering you for food every day, it is best not to feed crows.
Will crows bring gifts?
To get crows to bring you gifts, give them attention by feeding them a lot. There are several cases of crows bringing their rescuer or human with all kinds of trinkets, such as rocks, an earring, keys, and bones. This behavior is called “gifting,” which is an act of appreciation.
What should I do if crows become too abundant in my yard?
When you cannot deal with the excessive number of crows in your yard, it might be time to step in and do something. Here are some things you can try to drive away a good amount of them.
- Stop leaving food outside.
- Secure your trash and compost pit.
- Change your bird feeders into ones designed only for small birds.
- Remove some installations you used to attract crows.
Crows are smart creatures, and you need to use two or more of these tips to make it work. And even with that, you’ll still have a few of them after everything.
How to protect chickens from crows?
It is rare to find crows attacking adult chickens, but they are known to steal and eat their eggs and chicks. To protect your backyard chickens, here’s what to do:
- Cover your coop securely.
- Secure the chicks in a brooder.
- Collect the eggs every day.
- Encourage the hens to lay their eggs inside or in a protected area.
- Scare off the crows.
What colors attract crows?
Attention-grabbing colors like yellow and red work like magic in attracting crows. Earthy colors that resemble their food sources or habitat also work great in luring these birds to your yard.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to attract crows to your yard, you’ll need lots of patience before you can see results. Hopefully, crows will start to visit your yard and make it a better place. They might even leave you with some treasures to show how happy they are!
Have you experienced luring crows in your yard? What tricks work for you? Share them with us!
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