Are Crows Aggressive
to Other Birds?

Are They Peaceful? or The Bullies On The Block?

By Richard Worden

Crows are arguably one of the most confident birds you’ll encounter in urban environments, as they can eat almost anything and appear unafraid of humans. They have a reputation for being somewhat aggressive, which has helped them survive. You may be wondering are crows aggressive to other birds as well?

Crows are often aggressive to other birds. They attack other birds for various reasons, such as to protect their territory and their family and because they want to eat other birds. They also attack other birds’ nests to steal eggs and eat fledglings. 

This article explores everything you need to know about crow aggression and why crows are aggressive to other birds. It also explains a little bit about crow psychology and how to protect other birds from them.

Do Crows Attack Other Birds?

Crows often attack other birds. They attack birds when they or their territory is threatened. They are also capable of attacking fellow crows using their beaks and claws. In some instances, they attack in groups to bring down bigger birds. 

Crows will attack other birds by aiming and pecking at their most vulnerable spots, like their eyes. They will use their long, sharp beaks and claws to inflict maximum damage on their opponent. 

If they are preying on other birds, they will use a dive bombing or swooping technique where they dive from the sky, pick up the other bird and fly off with it. 

If crows are attacking birds larger than them, like pigeons or chickens, they will work in a group. Working together in groups can help increase their impact and improve their chances of overpowering the bigger birds.

They surround the larger bird and take turns pecking at it. They continue pecking until the bird is completely worn down. They then carry the bird off to a safe place to eat it.

Why Are Crows so Aggressive?

Crows are aggressive toward other birds when they try to defend their territory, mates, or fledglings. It is part of a crow’s natural instinct to fight potential threats or competitors. Moreover, although crows can eat just about anything, they can prey on other birds if there’s a shortage of food.

Crows are more intelligent compared to many other birds. As a result, they are more territorial and communicate better with each other, which increases their levels of aggression. are crows aggressive to other birds?

Here’s a closer look at why crows are aggressive to other birds.

Defending Territory

Crows are incredibly territorial, especially during the nesting season. Crows tend to form large groups together and will attack any other crows that encroach on their territory.They also form close-knit families and become aggressive trying to protect each other.

They will also attack other birds if they begin building a nest on their territory or are trying to hunt in the same place. This behavior helps them reduce competition and improve their chances of survival when food is scarce.

Defending Their Family

Male crows will attack other crows and other bird species if they feel like their mate is threatened. Crows mate for life and form a strong bond with their partners, making them extra protective. 

They are incredibly protective during nesting season. Both male and female crows will attack and fight other crows if they feel like their nestlings are threatened.

Predation

Crows are omnivores and can eat plant-based food and animal meat. However, they typically attack other birds when they are hunting. They are especially aggressive towards other birds if there are no other food sources. 

While crows do not eat other crows, they will attack and kill an injured crow. They do this because they see other crows as a threat and an attraction for predators. 

Friendly Fights

Like many other animals, crows will engage in friendly fights with their family groups. This is especially common among juveniles. Pretend fighting helps crows hone skills like swooping, dodging, and pecking.

Do Crows Kill Other Birds?

Crows will most commonly kill other birds when they want to eat them. However, they can also kill other birds if they are in a fight. In most fights, crows will fight until the other bird retreats. If the other bird leaves their territory, it will let it retreat without killing.

Do Crows Eat Other Birds?

Crows eat other birds when there aren’t many food options available. Crows will typically eat birds that are smaller than them, like canaries, finches, sparrows, and doves. However, a group of crows may hunt down bigger birds like chickens and ducks.

In most cases, crows will eat whatever food is available. However, they can easily get defensive around other birds or animals and become aggressive to ensure their safety. Sometimes, this behavior can escalate to killing and feeding on the opponent bird.

It’s also possible for crows to intentionally hunt other birds for food regardless of the size. It’s mainly because crows are pretty confident about their hunting skills, especially when working with a group from the same roost.

Do Crows Steal Baby Birds From Nests?

Crows do steal baby birds so they can eat them. When crows find a nest with nestlings or fledglings, they will observe the nest until the baby bird’s parents leave. Once the parents leave, they will swoop into the nest and carry away a baby bird to a safe place to eat it.

Crows predating on baby birds have led to the decline of several species of birds in particular areas. It’s important to protect the nests of particularly vulnerable birds. are crows aggressive to other birds

There are several ways you can protect baby birds from predation by crows: 

• Displaying dead crows. Crows are very sensitive to the death of other crows. When they see dead crows, they may have a gathering to try and understand why the crow died. They will also likely stay away from the area they find dead crows. Putting fake dead crows around a bird’s nest will keep live ones away. 
• Hanging up shiny objects. Crows and some other predatory birds are scared of shiny objects. Hanging reflective objects like tins or CDs on a tree with birds’ nests will help keep the crows away. 
• Predator decoys. As well as dead crows, you can install other predator decoys that will scare crows away from an area. You can use the Gardeneer Rotating Head Owl (available on Amazon.com). Its realistic design can help scare pesky crows away. You can also place it in your garden to protect your fruit-bearing plants from crows and other birds.

One downside of using the methods above is that they can also repel the parent birds, leaving the nestlings unsupervised. However, parent birds are more likely to overcome these obstacles to reach their young.

Try not to use bird repellents or netting to prevent crows from attacking other birds’ nests. This can cause more harm than good as it can trap the parent birds and stunt the baby birds’ development. 

Do Crows Attack Humans?

Crows do not shy away from attacking humans, especially during spring. They attack humans when they feel threatened or think a human is entering their territory. Crows remember human faces and may attack a human again if they feel consistently threatened.

Here are some ways you can reduce the likelihood of crow attacks: 

• Avoid crow nests. Ensure you’re not interfering with trees where crows have built their nests. If a crow targets you, look for its nest nearby and steer clear of it.
• Don’t try to harm crows. Crows have excellent memories and will attack you if they have felt threatened in the past. Instead of attacking crows, simply retreat to a safe place. 
• Distract the crows. If you are continuously being attacked or swooped by crows, have some distractions on hand. For instance, if a crow is attacking you, throw unsalted peanuts or small pebbles that resemble them in a different direction to distract it. The bird will go after them as you run to safety. 
  
  

Are Crows Aggressive To Other Birds?...
Final Thoughts

Crows are often aggressive to other birds when trying to protect their territory or to hunt for food. They are intelligent creatures that will take advantage of any situation to find food or expand their territory. Because of their intelligence and size, crows often win fights with other birds.

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Hi! I'm Richard Worden, the author and founder of We Know Birds.

Over 20 years ago I developed a keen interest in birds and birdwatching, and it has been my passion ever since. I am committed to spreading useful knowledge about birds to others so we might all enjoy them to the fullest.

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