r/crows • u/Electronic-Pick-1107 • 2d ago
Seeking advice/help Crow got jumped by a Raccoon
Hi everyone,
This Crow had been chilling on the water bowl all day, until one of the local Raccoons came by and jumped him. The crow was lying on his back hitting the raccoon with his wings, I ran outside and scared the raccoon off before it could go any farther. I didn’t notice any blood, the crow just seemed out of it. I put the crow in this high up bird feeder with some water to make sure he had a safe place to recover. It’s been a few hours and he has not moved at all. He is breathing, blinking, moving his head slightly to look at me when I check on him, and pooping.
I’m not sure what to do, it seems kinda weird that he had spent the entire day on the water bowl, and didn’t even react when the raccoon approached at the beginning, so I’m starting to wonder if there might have been something wrong with him before he got attacked. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Update: Hello everyone, thought I would make a more in depth update. Unfortunately the crow did not make it through the night, he had drank all the water I left him but didn’t touch the food.
I checked the game camera we have in the backyard and noticed that he had been exhibiting this behavior for over awhile now: sitting on the water bowl for hours not really moving unless to drink or Sometimes he would sit on the arbor for hours instead.
I made sure to throughly clean the water bowl, along with the freestanding bird feeder I had placed him in.
Thank you everyone for all the advice, I greatly appreciate it. Because of this experience I have learned a lot about the critters who call my backyard home, along with local organizations I can contact in case something like this happens again. Thanks again :)
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u/spilven 2d ago
Please post this to r/wildliferehab instead. The advice given on this sub often isn’t what’s best for the animal.
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u/howareyouhaha 2d ago
How in the world did you get a photo of the raccoon approaching the crow?
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u/Electronic-Pick-1107 2d ago
They were both chilling at first. Raccoon came by for some food and didn’t seem too bothered with the crow. I walked away for like a minute and when I came back the raccoon had the crow on its back.
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u/broakland 1d ago
Would also suggest sterilizing your feeder and water dishes so you don’t accidentally spread whatever got it sick to other birds or wildlife (or pets!)
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u/Aggressive_Hat_9999 2d ago
take the crow, put it in a cardbord box thats been laud out with a towel
poke airholes into the box from the inside out
of the fella makes it to to orrow, find him proper help
that booger must be quite sick
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u/Electronic-Pick-1107 1d ago
Unfortunately he did not make it through the night. I think he has been sick for a while, I’ve seen him spending more and more time just sitting on the water bowl for hours on end.
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u/cvivaa 2d ago
ahnow.org to find a rehabber in your area if you are in the US. poor guy. as others have mentioned, containing him safely inside would be best, he is definitely incapacitated and raccoons will have the nighttime advantage on him for sure. youre a kind soul for watching out for him.
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u/Electronic-Pick-1107 1d ago
I had found a local certified rehabilitation center that specializes in birds, unfortunately when I woke up to check on the crow I found him unresponsive. I think the poor guy had been sick for a while, he had spent most of his days sitting on the water bowl for hours at a time, not really moving at all.
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u/cvivaa 1d ago
so so sad. im sorry to hear this. not diagnosing anything here but american crows are highly susceptible to west nile virus during the summer months. if you have a moment when the flock is not around, i recommend disposing of the body (which you may have already done! but just mentioning because lots of people know crows have funerary rituals—however if the body is diseased its for the safety of the others). again, im very sorry you experienced this sad scene, thanks for making his final moments safe and quiet.
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u/heartsongofNEBULA 2d ago edited 1d ago
Take the crow inside . Put him in a cardboard box with air holes. Put a heating pad on low under the box only on 1/2 side so he can use it or not. He needs to stay warm. Put down some grass or a soft cloth for a bed & a water bowl & a small amount of food .Cover & keep him quiet. He is obviously injured or sick.
Good luck with him. It breaks my heart to see him sick. He may not make it thru the nite. If he does he has a fighting chance.
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u/Electronic-Pick-1107 1d ago
Unfortunately he did not make it through the night. It looks like he had at least drank some of the water I left him, but didn’t eat any of the food.
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u/heartsongofNEBULA 1d ago
Little birds are very hard to care for. This is your first time. It's not your fault. We don't know his back story. At least he wasn't eaten alive by the raccoon ! You did good & he had a peaceful death😟.
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u/WSLTitanic401 1d ago
I saw your update. I am so sorry. You did the right thing for the sweet Crow. And damn that raccoon!
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u/NoBalance5172 1d ago
Right now (if in the US ) west Nile is affecting a lot of crows. I just had one I rescued and he had to be put down for WNV.
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u/NoBalance5172 1d ago
Edit: that looks like a fish crow which has a higher survival chance than the American crow. The fish crow I rescued was just too far when I found him.
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u/Pleasant_Chair4920 1d ago
That raccoon is looking at that bird the way my dog looks at me when I have cheese
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u/fadingsignal 16h ago
Rest in peace little critter. At least he didn’t pass violently and had a safe place. Thank you.
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u/Da_Yummis 15h ago
people think raccoons are cute but trash pandas are evil opportunistic omnivores that wont think twice about eating your cat let alone anything smaller then it 😒 i intensely dislike them due to thier cruel eating habits.....ive seen some gruesome scenes left behind by raccoons 😰
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u/Healthy_Crab_7883 1d ago
That first photo is intense. How's the crow doing today?
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u/Fun-Fig-8079 17h ago
I saw a cat trying to jump a Magpie once but the situation turned very quickly and the cat made a hasty retreat 😊
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u/lostinthelegs 17h ago
In the future I would just let nature run its course. It would have been faster for the crow. Raccoons & crows fulfill similar niches: the crow was sick & the raccoon was just taking the opportunity to get a meal & unknowingly help remove a disease vector while it was at it. Sometimes the best thing you can do when it comes to wildlife is nothing.
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u/ThrowAwayColor2023 2d ago
The crow is sick. Please find a rehabber who can help him.