Clever, playful, and communicative — lots to like about the crow family

Each of the seven crow species that occur in Ireland have a lot of very similar traits, including an impressive ability to reason and to learn

Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) — members of the crow family with distinctive red legs and a red beak

It's easy to love birds. They sing sweet melodies and are cute to watch. We humans have a generally positive association with our feathered friends and neighbours. But crows are another matter. They are vocal — though it’s not exactly what we might call singing. They are seen as noisy and bothersome. People commonly go so far as to bait, trap, and shoot them.

I’m surrounded by crows and I enjoy their company. Even in Spring, when the jackdaws and rooks around the house are especially noisy in the early morning, chattering away between themselves, we get used to them. I try to look them in the eye whenever I can. When they look back at me, their savviness is obvious. If we could converse, it would surely be an enlightening discussion. I know that the ones around the house probably recognise me, because crows remember human faces well, even long after a one-off encounter. They don’t tar us all with the same brush as we do them. Many of us can’t even distinguish between various species of crow let alone identify individuals.