A baby crow was found sitting by a shrub near a distressed homeowner’s door. Fallen from the nest, its equally distressed parents were still feeding it.
Realizing it was vulnerable to attack and further accidents, the homeowners called Powell River Orphaned Wildlife Society, who determined it was not injured, but only needed lots of nurturing and time to learn to fly.
After 12 days of rehabilitation it was returned to its garden. Before release it was encouraged to squawk loudly and thus alert its parents of its arrival. This was not a problem. They quickly showed up with its siblings.
As they all gathered in a tree, the squawking was intense. The adult crows followed PROWLS president Merrilee Prior and helper Emma to the car, ensuring they left this time without any of their crow progeny.
Crows have very strong family bonds that last throughout their lives. Families may include up to 15 individuals and contain young from five different years.
A pair visits several sites together before selecting a nest site, usually a concealed spot in a tree, shrub or berry tangle. Both parents incubate three to six eggs and care for the young, sometimes with a “nest helper,” possibly offspring from a previous breeding season.
The hatchling emerges from the egg blind and helpless, minimally covered in down.
Contributed photo
