Crows, Cities, and Sociology

By Lisa Smith

“Crow o’ clock” is that time of day in Vancouver when crows make their way at dusk and dawn, to and from their roost. After a busy day in the city hunting for snacks, watching out for predators, and chattering in the trees, rest is a must. And as deeply social creatures, crows rest up together. These winged fixtures of the city scape congregate in different spots, but most head to a wooded area adjacent to an industrial park—Still Creek in Burnaby, British Columbia. It is estimated that around 10,000 crows settle in every night in the same spot. You can check out footage of the daily trek and typical routes, which have been well documented.

 Clearly, I’m not the only one who is fascinated by the groups of crows (or murder of crows if you want to get technical) as a new film is in the works—The Commute. Crows are also featured prominently on all manner of things used by local humans in the city, from tote bags to art prints, coffee mugs and more! These surface level representations got me thinking about human animal relations, which is a fascinating sub-field of sociology. It explores the ways that humans impact non-human animals and vice versa.  Of course, we often forget that we humans are animals too!

Asking questions about animals through a sociological perspective is part of a broader shift towards what is called the animal turn. Until recently, much of sociology upheld a strict boundary between humans and non-human animals. Exploring beyond a species-centric lens pushes us to consider how human notions of superiority impact the ways we measure or evaluate other living things, assuming rather than knowing what is behind their behavior or whether it is worthy of interest. More concerningly, humans have justified violent actions towards non-human animals, based on notions of difference, as opposed to sameness and interconnectedness.

The relations that emerge within urban settings specifically tell us a great deal about humans and animals, and about the ways they grow and shift alongside one another. Many humans regularly feed birds in the city, (even though doing so is not good for them!), developing routines as part of their day. Yet, the relationships between urban dwelling birds and humans, including crows, is a relatively recent phenomenon that is part of the larger story of urbanization and the growth of cities.

In British Columbia, which is part of the Pacific Northwest, crows have been around long before humans. However, they would have been clustered around the coastline, where seafood was plentiful. Their capacity to thrive in cities alongside humans speaks to their intelligence and adaptability. They can recognize human faces and make use of tools—such as cups, sticks and even hooks.

New research on the New Caledonian crow has shown that they derive pleasure from using tools to get food. A discarded chip is all the tastier when it involves a good challenge, or even better, a puzzle to be worked out. There is much to investigate and learn about the complex social worlds these animals inhabit. In a broader sense, we can think of crows as providing insights into the ways that animals and humans shift and change when they co-exist. For crows, being around humans has certainly been beneficial in terms of new food sources; the overall crow population in the region has expanded significantly as the city and surrounding areas have been impacted by human development. But what about humans?  

I have noticed that many people in Vancouver have identified a crow that they think of as “their crow.” While the bird does not live in their home like a pet, the crow visits regularly to grab a snack (remember, don’t feed the birds!). Personally, I’m not convinced any crow thinks it belongs to a human.

However, it’s not all fun and games. As nesting season approaches, humans know that crows will become territorial, dive-bombing passersby who threaten the safety of their young. This has happened to me on multiple occasions! The swoop and peck method is particularly effective at sending humans off flailing wildly and running in the opposite direction. Digital spaces and tools, such as X and Instagram, are used by humans to share information and guide behavior to avoid such encounters. In the same way that crows use squawks and caws to warn of danger, humans use digital platforms to “tweet” (pun intended) or post concerns over territorial crows.

There are even examples of famous crows, such as Canuck the Crow. His many exploits include disrupting mail delivery, riding the SkyTrain, absconding with a murder weapon, and much more. Humans have generated a short documentary, Wikipedia page, a Facebook group, and an impressive list of media stories about Canuck.

These digital communications highlight the ways humans interpret animal encounters and form bonds and connections, but also identify sites of social change. For example, as knowledge of corvid society has grown, wildlife organizations have become aware baby crows that have “fallen” out of the nest in most cases don’t need to be rescued. In recent years, awareness campaigns on a range of social media platforms are mobilized to communicate best practices and reminding humans not to interfere with crow young as they learn to fly. There is a shift in culture around animal welfare and a recognition of certain obligations around modifying behavior and informing others.

The case of the crow speaks to broader questions about the ethics of human animal relationships, for good and ill; as well as the ways we might grow together. Of course, not all animals have fared as well as the crow. Some animals benefit with more humans around and others don’t. For now, the crow is clearly king of the roost and lord of the skies above—at least in Vancouver.

What animals co-exist with humans in the community where you live? What do you notice about human/animal relations in the society you are part of? As cities change and grow, what protection is offered for urban animals? Which can thrive, and which are pushed to the side? Why?

Comments

[moto x3m]

The idea of humans forming bonds with specific crows is intriguing! It's like they're creating their own little urban ecosystem together.

[inverters]

This is such a fascinating read! The daily crow migrations in Vancouver are such a striking example of how animals and humans have adapted to each other in urban spaces. The idea of “crow o’clock” really captures how deeply embedded these birds are in the rhythm of the city.

I love the way you connect this to the broader sociological perspective on human-animal relationships. It’s so true that for a long time, humans have drawn a strict line between themselves and other species, often assuming superiority rather than recognizing interconnectedness. The “animal turn” in sociology is such an important shift—one that forces us to reconsider how we engage with the non-human world, and how our cities and behaviors shape the lives of the creatures around us.

The bit about crows recognizing faces and even using tools is a great reminder of just how intelligent they are. It makes sense that humans in Vancouver feel a connection to specific crows they see regularly, but as you point out, that relationship is definitely one-sided! Still, it speaks to something universal—our tendency to project human emotions and relationships onto the animals we share our environment with.

It’s also really interesting how digital platforms now play a role in our interactions with wildlife, whether it’s warning about nesting season swoops or spreading awareness about how to best support baby crows learning to fly. It’s a great example of how social media is shaping not just human-to-human interactions, but also human-animal relationships.

Your post raises some great questions—what does it mean for an animal to thrive in an urban environment? What responsibilities do we have to the creatures that live alongside us? It makes me think about the animals in my own city—some, like pigeons and raccoons, have adapted incredibly well to urban life, while others struggle as human expansion disrupts their habitats. It’s definitely something worth reflecting on.

Thanks for sharing such a thought-provoking piece!

[snow rider]

It’s interesting how crows adapt so well to urban environments and even develop complex social behaviors. The parallels between crow communities and human societies really make you think about how different species navigate shared spaces.