Since childhood, crow has been my favourite bird for close observation.
My maternal grandfather used to offer a handful of cooked
rice from his plate to crows before he took his lunch each day and so my father.
Out of curiosity I asked my grandfather during
those days why this is being done. His answer was, if those crows eat the offered
food, it goes to the souls of all ancestors who were in heaven. There is a
tradition even now in south India to offer food to crows on the days of death
anniversaries called Taddinam and during Makar Sankranthi every year. I was curious! Of late, I started feeding
small bits of various food items during my morning tea time. They were hesitant
to take those offerings in the beginning but, soon they became friends. Now, they
move freely and take whenever they want. They are not scared even when I am
close to them. Next day, I find that place is clear!
Crows do exist in almost all parts of the world and there
are several species identified. They
can live upto 20 years it seems. They
are predators and scavengers thus, play an important role in our ecosystem. Several experiments proved that they have the ability
to recognize faces of human beings and can remember even after several years. Crows
are known for their intelligence and extreme problem solving abilities. Certain
documentaries even show that few crows
offer gifts in return in a friendly gesture and gratitude to those who
offer food which establishes their extraordinary ability and adaptability. Interesting
isn’t it? Probably, some answers exist out
of these evidences why co-existence of crows are meaningful. As summer is fast approaching,
let me offer some water too which is important for their survival.
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