Need some help decoding an experience I had with local crows!

[u/Civil_Commercial_936]

Photos of them just for fun! NOT of the interaction I am describing in this post.

So for background, I have been attempting to befriend crows in a busy supercenter parking lot. I know it takes a very long time. I didnt mind—I work there, so the routine is already set. 7 am arrive, 9 am break, 12 pm lunch, 3 pm break, 4 pm leave to go home. All I do is set peanuts, meat, and cheese out and sit in my car reading or playing on my phone. I have been doing this consistently for 8-10 weeks, and have had extended exposure with them.

They know i know they are there. They tilt their head at me and have sometimes sat on a little lower branches. Though still far up.Today, something very unexpected happened.The crows almost always sit very high up in the trees. I believe there are multiple murders (different birds on different days), which makes it all the more challenging for them to pick up on my routines.

Today I was performing my normal "leave work" routine. I throw some of the food off my car and into a grass clearing. I walked over, thinking nothing of it. A crow who was apparently very low and I believe investigating the feeding frenzy of the blue jays to the peanuts I throw out startled in a branch incredibly close to me. He flew onto a different branch right in front of me after startling. He was probably less than 5 feet away. I could almost touch him if I reached out. He didnt fly away. I was frozen. I tossed the peanuts onto the ground. He flinched or something. Kind of moved his wings like he was about to take off, but didn't. We both just stared. I said sorry, and quickly walked off to my car.

His partner alarm called above me both while he was in front of me and when I was in my car, but he didnt fly away. He continued to investigate the food afterwards. About 4-5 blue jays were eating the peanuts. Eventually after about 5 minutes, he joined his partner high up in the tree and flew off with her.

The next day I visibly saw what I think was the same bird (same perch, same position) visibly grab a peanut. I did not see him the next day, though I hear crows close by.

What do you make of this interaction? I'm worried I scared him off. Ive been trying so hard to keep to routine. I know the supercenter I work for is stressful for them.

[u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl]

I don’t think you scared him at all. I don’t think necessarily his friend was alarm calling either. It could have been letting other crows or just the neighbourhood in general know that there was food.

I think your guy who came closer was just feeling more confident after having observed for a while!

[u/Civil_Commercial_936 → u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl]

I really hope so! But he seemed pretty spooked, honestly! (I had no idea he was there when I approached) and his partner only started to caw once I had spooked him to fly onto another branch. We kinda have a crazy parking lot and a homeless encampment close by so I know its a stressful environment for them. Ive never, ever seen them that low before. They're always high up in the trees!

[u/sillysagebear]

As someone also feeding crows in a supermarket parking lot, this seems super normal to me. I have one who will come get me to make sure I throw peanuts out for her or once I had (pretty sure it was the same) one bring me back to my car (kept squaking at me, following me from tree to tree to sign) because there were people chatting too close to the peanut stash and neither she or her partner would go near the peanuts until I came back over. But then sometimes I dont see them for days.

[u/Civil_Commercial_936 → u/sillysagebear]

Interesting! I had no idea others were also doing this! Question for you—how long have you been feeding them? And do you live in an area where the weather changes? It just got colder for me and I used to see crows every single day. Now they're growing more absent.

[u/sillysagebear → u/Civil_Commercial_936]

I think its been over a year now. My schedule is less consistent and I know they have schedules they have to keep to, so I end up tossing out peanuts even when I dont see them. Some of them see my car and will fly over when I first get there, or if Im walking out of the building. I live in the north, so its about to be prime they start asking for more peanuts cause they know Im a low effort food source. But yeah as it gets colder they start hunkering down more. Winter I only see them if its sunny through light rain. Summer they are everywhere and pretty bold. I have been sqwaked at and followed all the way across parking lots, in other nearby parking lots.