A new study shows that crows remember people's faces and will recruit other crows to attack those that have wronged them. Even weirder -the crows that joined in the mobbing will also remember that person and may lead an attack on their own later on, despite the fact that the individual may never have done anything to them.
Link Image via Lucina M [Flickr]
The crow I saved, however, quickly became very affectionate and trusting of me. It would balance on my wrist every where I'd take it—outside to neighbors' houses, etc.—even after it was able to fly again. And he loved to nuzzle; just really push the top of his head into the side of your neck, much like a cockatoo. Edgar Allen Crow was a sweet pet.
I did the same thing with a seagull whose wings were frozen, and who was dive bombed by a bald eagle, but THAT bird never became trusting of me, and made my whole house smell TERRIBLE.
I stopped to examine the scene and no sooner had I done so, than I found a crow cawing loudly and swooping for my head.
That damn crow chased me all the way down the block. I was so terrified that I hid under the front porch of a house. The crow persisted to get on the ground and wait there for about 30 minutes.
I ended up running back home with the crow chasing me the whole way.
My mother didn't believe me - but told me to walk another way.
That day, I remembered to walk home via the alternate route - and the crow saw me from the tops of the trees and chased me again. Again - terrified, I crouched under a low hanging tree.
This continued for two or three days - at one point I cried I was so frustrated.
To this day - when I tell the story - people mock me because they think I'm a wimp for being scared. But there is nothing like a bird swooping at your head over and over again.
It really is scary!