Crows are known for their intelligence and sneaky attitude.
It is not a surprise that many people have been treating crows as great nuisances in their home, yard, or in their neighborhood.
These birds are not only causing trouble to households, but they are also a source of hassle for golfers!
Yes, golfers!
They don’t leave golfers alone too!
What do crows do that annoy golfers?
They steal their golf balls!
It might seem odd that these black birds are stealing golf balls from golfers.
No one would ever think that it will be used for their nests, and it cannot be a toy for the crows too.
So the question is – Why do crows steal golf balls and more importantly how to stop crows stealing golf balls?
The reason why crows steal golf balls is because they think that these are eggs, or in other words, food.
Many golfers found their golf balls damaged, because crows most likely have tried to peck on it.
While many struggle to deal with this problem, some golfers opted to use balls that are painted in a different color to lessen the risk of it being stolen.
Let’s get into more detail in this article
Carry on reading
Do Crows Steal Golf Balls?
Many people found this fact surprising, but crows do steal golf balls.
They sometimes even collect these white balls, the reason why it is somehow causing trouble for many golfers.
These golf balls are often wasted and damaged because crows tend to peck on it without a second thought!
Why Do They Steal Golf Balls?
There is only one possible reason why these black birds keep on stealing golf balls.
It has something to do with food.
Crows will think of golf balls as eggs, and since eggs are one of the easiest foods to obtain for them, they will steal them.
They will go for them because they think it is something that they can eat.
After all, these balls are comparable to the shape, size, and color of a normal egg
How To Stop Crows Stealing Your Golf Balls?
The best thing you can possibly do is paint your golf ball a different color
Or maybe you can get a different color golf ball
This can help stopping crows stealing them
Because crows may think a golf ball is an egg due to it being a white, a different color could hopefully deter them from stealing it
Another thing you can do is set up decoys around where you playing to scare away crows
For example, you can set up blank CD on the grass or hang them up (somehow) as this is a way of stopping crows coming into the are where you’re playing golf
Maybe you can just scare them away before you start to play (if you see them gathering)
Why Do Crows Gather Golf Balls?
Some people even witnessed a hollow space full of golf balls and many suspected that it was done by crows.
No one knows the true reason for this behavior.
Since crows steal golf balls because they think of it as eggs, it is likely that they gather golf balls to have a continuous source of food.
Golfers prefer using fluorescent balls to avoid this incident from happening.
Other golfers try to use colored golf balls instead, since the white color of the ball tends to make it more like an egg in the eyes of the crows.
Why Do Crows Take Yellow Golf Balls?
Crows take golf balls in general because they think they are eggs and can be eaten.
However, reports say that these birds take yellow golf balls more often than the white ones because they are more attracted to the color.
So, golfers often experience some troubles about this and find it frustrating.
Using a yellow golf ball in their plays would heighten the risk of it being stolen because of the crows.
Not only do they see it as a potential food, the color catches their eyes and attention better.
Do Ravens Steal Golf Balls?
Ravens are also black birds and crows share some similarities with them.
However, their main difference is their size.
A raven has a bigger, longer, and curvier beak compared to crows.
They are also larger in size and often travel in pairs.
However, these two birds are both considered to be a nuisance for many golfers.
After all, they both steal golf balls!
Like crows, ravens will steal golf balls because they think that these are eggs and a nice food to eat.
Though they both take golf balls in an attempt to eat them, crows tend to steal both yellow and white colored-balls more.
Ravens, on the other hand, usually steal only the white-colored ones and leave alone the balls in other colors.
Do Birds Mistake Golf Balls For Eggs?
We know that golf balls and eggs differ in appearance, but this is not the case for birds.
In reality, many birds often mistake golf balls for eggs.
Most prominent golf ball bird thieves are the ravens and crows as they often victimize many golfers.
However, there is no one to confirm or to tell exactly why birds tend to steal golf balls.
It is true that birds see these balls as eggs, but it is a mystery whether they steal it to nest or eat them.
Crows, however, are known to steal eggs as food.
After all, they are omnivorous birds and very opportunistic.
They would go for any food they think they can easily get, and one of them is eggs.
Wrapping Up
Golfers have troubles with ravens and crows.
These black birds steal golf balls because they think it’s an egg that can be eaten.
Crows often steal yellow and white balls, but ravens tend to go only for the white ones.
Either way, these birds are considered to be annoying to many players because of their behavior.
