Seeing a Murder in Your Westland Yard? Don't Call the Police Just Yet
If you walk outside one morning and discover a murder in your Westland yard, don't panic.
We're talking about crows.
And yes, a group of crows really is called a murder.
This is also the time of year when you may start seeing a whole lot more of them hanging around together.
As summer winds down and fall approaches, crows become increasingly social. Cornell researchers say September is when many begin venturing away from their usual territories and gathering around good food sources. Young crows also start hanging around together in what researchers rather perfectly describe as "juvenile gangs."
So why your yard?
Probably food.
Crows aren't picky. They'll investigate garbage, compost, pet food, insects and whatever else your yard is offering. If several suddenly seem very interested in your lawn, they may even be finding grubs or other insects hiding underneath.
As the weather gets colder, those smaller gatherings can become much larger. Crows spend winter nights together in communal roosts that can contain hundreds, thousands or, in some places, far more.
Scientists believe those gatherings offer several advantages. There's safety in numbers, information gets shared about good feeding areas, and younger birds get to learn from the crowd.
And crows are remarkably smart.
They cooperate with family members, solve problems, recognize potential threats and can even remember human faces.
So if a murder suddenly shows up in your Westland neighborhood this fall, don't assume something ominous is happening.
They might just be getting together for dinner.
Although "a murder came to my yard for dinner" probably isn't how we'd explain it to the neighbors.
