Burnaby Crows

For residents of Burnaby these crows are a common site, but they still amaze and perhaps frighten newcomers.

The large group of crows, called a murder of crows, is a topic Derek Matthews

of the Vancouver Avian Research Centre knows a lot about. He said he often gets calls from people curious about what is going on in Burnaby. 

"I try to get people to understand that it is not a "gang" of crows in their backyard but a family and that crows are not the villains they’re always made out to be but fascinating animals in their own right. No other bird has such a human-like personality and social system as the crow. They’re also really smart," said Mathews.

According to Mathews it isn't known why crows congregate in large numbers to roost but there are lots of hypotheses:

1. the birds simply are congregating in the most favorable spot (protection from predators, protection from the elements, the only trees suitable for roosting, etc.), and they don't mind doing it with a bunch of other birds.
2. the birds get some protection from predators by being in a large group - safety in numbers.
3. the area is an information center where information about profitable foraging areas is transmitted.
4. roosts congregate around large, non-defendable, reliable food sources – so first thing and last thing in the day, food is available.

This video shows how smart crows can be: 

A common location in Burnaby to see the crows.