Crows discussion

[Becky]

Please add your comments about Crows: Encounters with the Wise Guys of the Avian World to this thread.

[John]

I have this book and have had it on my to read list, so this is a good time for me to start. For anyone interested, one of the great works of poetry of the last century is Crow by Ted Hughes. It is the story in poems of a mythical crow named Crow, who wanders about at the start of Creation.

[Hákon]

I have got my this one, and am looking forwards to reading it.

[Julie]

I’ll look forward to John, Hakon, and other readers insights from this book. Our area crow flocks are getting more raucous.

[Gia]

I have this book in hand now from my library and looking forward to reading it with you all. I went for a walk at the park this past weekend and could hear all the crows flying all around conversating, saying what I don't know. But maybe we'll soon know. "Raucous" is such an excellent word to describe them, Julie! :)

[Lin F]

I have started this book. It was interesting to learn that magpies and ravens are all different species of crows (there are 45 species in all). My family had a Chihuahuan Raven and an American Crow as pets when I was growing up, so I’m looking forward to learning more about them and having this book bring up some fun memories.

[Hákon]

I agree Lin, it starts interestingly. Here in Iceland we only have ravens, but they’ve always fascinated me. My uncle raised an raven for a while, got him when the bird was very young, but turned him loose when he got old enough to take care of himself. I’m not sure if that raven would have made a good pet, probably too big, but it was interesting to get to see him so up close.

[Tamara]

I will be getting this on Monday and hope to join the discussion soon. I'm probably the only one here who doesn't know anything about crows or ravens. I'm reading the book and will join the discussion because I want to learn more about them.

[John]

Two initial reactions and comments:

Crows are generalists. This strikes me as a perfect description. The author mentioned generalists in the context of their eating, yet generalists as to what they are and how they are viewed makes perfect sense.

Crows are among the brainiest of all things alive, including mammals. I can see this as well. I see them so much and so active on my golf course in North Carolina that I sometimes feel like they are golfing the course with me, so to speak.

[Lin F]

I enjoyed the Family Dramas chapter, especially the stories of the crow who made a cast out of mud for her injured partner, and of XT, the widower who helped a widowed neighbor feed her offspring. All of these stories help me realize how typical the antics of our family’s pets were. Nobody else I knew had a pet raven or crow, so that was unique, but the birds themselves were just typical corvids.

I’m enjoying the art and side stories as well.

[J]

I have really, enjoyed the mix of mythology, information, photos, prints and poetry in the book showing us that we have been aware and involved with these birds for generations.

The crows in my garden clear out infestations of leather jackets in the lawn every year in the spring much to the annoyance of a company that would really like to spray for them and charge me. How useful.

[Hákon]

John wrote: "Crows are among the brainiest of all things alive, including mammals. I can see this as well. I see them so much and so active on my golf course in North Carolina that I sometimes feel like they are golfing the course with me, so to speak. "

They are clever, and this book really goes into that. I'm not much of a golfer, but I have had them follow me on my walks with my dogs. One of them even followed me all the way home once, teasing my dog Kata so badly that she really doesn't like raven at all since.

Lin wrote: "I enjoyed the Family Dramas chapter, especially the stories of the crow who made a cast out of mud for her injured partner, and of XT, the widower who helped a widowed neighbor feed her offspring. ..."

Yes, I thought that was fascinating. One would have thought that putting a cast on a broken limb was a human invention, but then something like this comes along. That really shows their intelligence.

Joy wrote: "I have really, enjoyed the mix of mythology, information, photos, prints and poetry in the book showing us that we have been aware and involved with these birds for generations."

Me too. I knew quite a bit about their place in Norse mythology, but they are clearly a big part of other mythologies as well, which I thought was quite interesting.

[Tamara]

I was finally able to get a hold of a copy and read it.
I found it to be a light, entertaining, and informative introduction to crow-dom. Peppered with beautiful illustrations and photos. I enjoyed it, but I think I prefer something with a little more substance.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...