(no subject)

[nonionay]

Yesterday, I trudged up the hill to do laundry. I have to go up a narrow, winding street with no sidewalk. It's quiet and verdant and scares the crap out of me. I saw a crow on a wire scratching its head like a cat. I don't think I've ever noticed this behavior in crows, but hey, no reason why they shouldn't. But on the way home, I passed what was probably the same crow, but now it was on the ground. It cawed at me and hopped right across the street to my feet. It wasn't tiny, but it was thin and sleek, and the look in its eyes was that of someone who did not know how the world worked. It was probably a teenager, but it looked up at me imploringly and cawed like a baby. I've never looked directly into the pink mouth of a crow before. I've never had anything think I was its mother. In a nearby tree, two crows were cawing persistantly. Probably its parents. But it seemed to prefer me. I was, after all, sparklier.

Now, just the night before, we'd been talking about pet birds. csinman had just taken an injured seagull home to stash in his bathtub until wildlife rehab could pick it up. And he is constantly going on about the filthy black blob which we saw in New York and which some people might call a pigeon. I professed that while I'd never wanted a pet seagull (though I did once want to be one) I would like a pet crow.

Is it wise to turn down the universe?

For the sake of the crow and my damage deposit, yes.

I am, however, sorely tempted to go back there and leave out some food for it. You know, just... hang out with it. It's good to be friends with the crows, right?

Comments

[kaerfel.livejournal.com]

A ranch that raises crows and ravens:
http://corvitude.com/corvidranch.html

How to take care of them:
http://www.corvitude.com/corvidranchcare.html

I've read somewhere that you can tame them from the wild, especially at a young age.

These links are from when I was doing research about the Asgaard Noir book I might write, with Huginn and Muninn as the main characters, not because I desperately want my own aviary full of crows, mind you. Even if it's true.

[awritersweekend.livejournal.com]

It's illegal to have a pet crow that you've taken from the wild (I think there's an exception for the rescue folk). Just sayin'.

[criada.livejournal.com]

Oh, I wouldn't really do it. It's not like I'd have a place to keep it. :-)

[kaerfel.livejournal.com]

In Keffy's room. Duh. ;)

[hawkdancer.livejournal.com]

(heeheehee!)

[hawkdancer.livejournal.com]

When I did wildlife rehab, we fed baby crows kitten formula from syringes. When they got bigger, we hid berries and dog food for them to discover in the cage. As they got bigger, we would leave the cage open so they could come and go as they liked, and then one day they just wouldn't come back. It was bittersweet.

But yeah, the person below is correct. Keeping wild animals is really illegal unless you're affiliated with a rescue center or a veterinarian, like I was. This lady out in the county (I think) recently got arrested for trying to raise an orphaned duckling. It's dumb, but it's one of those rules. :-(

[hawkdancer.livejournal.com]

OR you could have a falconer's license to keep raptors! I know some falconers have ravens and things too, but I don't know if that's a different permit. Personally, I want an owl. :-)

[bolddeciever.livejournal.com]

I know someone who helped out a wounded crow once, and a few months later was saved from a nasty car accident by a flock of them (they landed on the street so she had to stop or something, don't remember the exact story).