Many people have bird feeders and love leaving out birdseed for our cute little feathered-friends, but rarely do we get anything in return besides a lovely view of the birds, and a deck or patio covered in seeds.
8-year-old Gabi Mann from Seattle, Washington began feeding the neighborhood crows in her family’s garden, and this sweet girl has now made many special relationships as the crows bring her gifts on a regular basis.
Gabi loves her gifts from the crows, which range from pretty beads and crystals to buttons and small pieces of jewelry. She keeps them tucked safely inside of her bead storage box in specially labeled bags, labeling each with where she received it; “Black table by feeder. 2:30 p.m. 09 Nov.” She takes such good care of these little presents because according to her, they are her most treasured possessions.
Of the many beads, buttons, lego pieces, paper clips and earrings she’s received, Gabi’s favorite gift is a pearl colored heart which, she explains, “Is showing me how much they love me.”
Gabi first began feeding her crow friends by accident; dropping small pieces of food while she was a little girl and growing up. She would hop out of her Mom’s car once they got home, and a chicken nugget would fall off her lap, making a tasty treat for the neighborhood crows. Gabi quickly noticed the crows coming and was excited to see them, so she would bring them food scraps each time she walked to and from the school bus stop with her brother.
Within a short time, the neighborhood crows learned who Gabi was. They would wait for her at her local bus stop each day for her to come home from school and feed them. Gabi was saving a lot of the food from her packed lunches each day to feed her new beloved little friends, and her mother didn’t mind one bit. “I like that they love the animals and are willing to share,” Gabi’s mother explained. Her mother’s wonderful attitude has helped to grow the love of nature and animals within her children’s hearts.
It took a long time, but eventually Gabi’s whole family took a real liking to the flock of crows who frequently followed Gabi around. Gabi’s mom eventually joined Gabi in helping to feed the crows daily. They added a crow sized birdbath in their backyard that gets fresh water each day, and together they spread out plenty of peanuts, cashews and dog food. While they set up for the crows, their feathered-friends gather around them and make funny noises as they call out to them in their own way.
This routine is what started the cycle of gift giving that Gabi so loves and treasures. The crows will eat all of the food she leaves them, and then randomly they’ll leave a small gift in the basket in return, such as a polished rock, an earring, or a small crystal. Numerous things that are shiny and that can fit inside of a crow’s mouth have been found in the feeder.
Some of the gifts, to everyone’s surprise, contain messages of deep meaning, such as a piece of metal that has the word “best” stamped on it. Gabi also loves this gift and giggles as she thinks one of the other crows is wearing the matching half that says, “friend.”
Are you interested in having your own gift-giving crow friends? John Marzluff, professor of wildlife science at the University of Washington advises, “If you want to form a bond with a crow, be consistent in rewarding them.”
Marzluff has conducted numerous studies on crows, and he has found that crows are extraordinarily intelligent and that humans and crows can form very meaningful relationships. While gifts are never guaranteed, and while Marzluff has never personally received a gift from a crow the way that Gabi does, he has witnessed crows giving items to others.
The gifts are not always pretty and shiny trinkets through. Sometimes the crows bring meat related food items, or small bones, or one time a rotting crab claw, which Gabi’s mother helped her dispose of.
Gabi’s third favorite gift from the crows was a tiny screw, and while she prefers not to touch it, she considers it a top favorite gift because, “You don’t see a crow carrying around a screw that much. Unless it’s trying to build its house.”
Gabi’s mother’s favorite gift from the crows was her expensive camera lens cap that she had lost in an alley close to her house when she was taking pictures of a bald eagle that came to their neighborhood. Before she had time to go searching for the lost lens cap, it quickly showed up on the edge of her and Gabi’s backyard birdbath.
Lisa just had to know if it was really their friendly crows that brought the lens cap back. She watched footage from their “bird cam” which records the bird feeder, and sure enough, “You can see it bringing it into the yard. Walks it to the birdbath and actually spends time rinsing this lens cap.”
The relationship between little Gabi and her neighborhood crows is a beautiful thing to witness; it’s sweet how much she loves them and how much they love her.
Do you enjoy feeding birds in your neighborhood?
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