'Aiming for my head': Metro Vancouver crows are getting riled up
It may seem a tad bit early to talk about crow nesting season, but some Metro Vancouver residents are already reporting being dive-bombed by crows.
In previous years, we usually talked about crow attacks in April, but the nesting season can start between early spring and summer. While there’s no official starting date, it usually lasts until July.
Now that we’re two weeks into meteorological spring and the spring equinox is just a week away, our winged urban cohabitants have begun to spook some folks. Daily Hive has also observed some early aggression from crows in the Yaletown area.
- You might also like:
- A seagull has been trapped on a Vancouver balcony for at least three days (VIDEO)
- Canada take note: New Yorkers may get paid sick days for pet care
- Opinion: The overwhelming love of pet owners on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside
“Nesting season is a vulnerable time for babies and parents, with eggs and young chicks at risk of predation. This risk is amplified as fledgling birds begin to leave the nest. For their first few days, they can’t fully fly and rely heavily on their parents to keep them safe as they hop around on the ground and work their flight muscles,” the BC SPCA says.
Crowtrax, a service we’ve used in previous years to report on problem areas where close calls are occurring, has several reports of dive-bombing and other incidents over the last few weeks.
One person said they were “running laps, and this crow kept following me.”
“Did two laps and chased me both times, aiming for my head!”
That incident occurred in the Marpole neighbourhood.
A separate incident that took place near Renfrew-Collingwood involved a resident saying that a crow dive-bombed them for three blocks. South of the Renfrew-Collingwood area, another person said that a crow was cawing but not attacking.
“Their energy is starting again,” they added.
One Crowtrax entry wasn’t about an attack but may be a solution if you’re worried about being attacked this spring.
“I feed them peanuts. Zero attacks,” the entry says.
The BC SPCA has some additional tips, with one of the simplest being always carrying an umbrella, which would serve as a visual barrier between you and the crows.
It also advises residents to post friendly warning signs in high-danger areas.
Lastly, the BC SPCA suggests altering your routes and finding areas that aren’t obvious nesting sites in your daily commute.
Have you noticed increased aggression from crows in Metro Vancouver over the last couple of weeks?