By Colin Dacre
It’s crow dive-bombing season.
If you have ever been on the receiving end of a territorial crow, you know how unsettling it can be to be attacked by a creature that is normally nothing but background noise in your neighbourhood.
“Springtime to early summer is crow nesting season and the crabby crows you may encounter are just anxious bird parents protecting their young,” said the BC SPCA in a news release Tuesday.
During nesting season, eggs and young chicks are food for predators, a threat that is amplified when fledgling birds begin to leave the nest.
Once baby crows leave the nest, they spend the first few days fluttering from branch to branch within their nest tree as they build up muscles for their first flight. But in cities, the lower tree branches are often removed for safety, meaning baby crows often end up on the ground, stressing out parents.
The BC SPCA says crow nesting season ends in July, but until then, consider altering your travel routes if crows are harassing you while walking. Signs can be posted in high-traffic areas, or you can carry an umbrella to create a visual barrier between yourself and the birds.
If you spot a young crow in a vulnerable area, or with no adult birds visible in the area, call the BC SPCA Provincial Call Centre 1-855-622-7722 for advice and assistance.
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