No matter how intelligent crows can be, they are still not safe from being a prey.
There are still reported deaths of these clever birds from time to time.
In fact, a crow is only expected to live 13 years in the wild and around 20 years in captivity.
Their deaths may be because of old age, diseases, or simply because of other existing threats in the world.
It is said that crows hold a deep memory after seeing their comrade’s death.
Crows do not bury their dead friend.
Instead, you would see a dozen or a murder of crows gathering around their fallen comrade.
It is as if they are mourning for their companion’s death where you will witness them gathering together and cawing intensely.
While they may seem grieving, studies have explained that crows do not mourn their dead companion, but investigate the cause of its death.
The gathering of crows becomes their crow meeting to discuss the possible threat in the area.
What Happens If a Crow Dies?
Crows are considered as one of the bird species that are highly intelligent.
Like humans, animals also have their own way of behaving when it comes to dealing with a dead comrade.
These cawing birds become extremely vigilant over the death of another crow.
When a crow dies, few crows would produce loud, distressing calls that have a purpose of calling the whole murder (the term used to call a flock of crows).
Then these gathered crows will surround the dead body as if they are surveying and mourning for their comrade.
At times like this, it is best to avoid the area and refrain from doing anything that could catch their attention.
They may view you as the one who killed their own member and remember you for several years as their enemy.
If you’re there enemy, be prepared for attacks!
Related article – Do crows attack humans?
Do Crows Eat Their Own Dead?
It is known for a fact that crows eat anything that they can consume.
This includes bugs, insects, eggs, other prey birds, and even scraps.
Bearing this in mind, do they also eat their own dead?
The answer is no.
Crows do not eat the dead bodies of their peers.
Cannibalism among crows is extremely rare to happen.
Normally, they would never try to hurt it, let alone eat it.
These clever birds treat their own dead comrades differently.
They will rather investigate the cause of its death and try to avoid the possible dangers in the area.
Related article – Do crows eat crows?
Do Crows Have Funerals?
It is quite hard to say that crows have funerals that are solely organized to mourn for the deceased companion.
These black birds gather in an attempt to determine the possible reason why their friend died in the area.
This includes investigating any possible predator attacks and dangers of the place.
It is possible that crows also mourn the dead body while investigating its death.
As mentioned, the group of crows will gather and surround the body, then talk to each other through their loud caws.
Though there is this possibility, the higher chances of them having a crow meeting is likely for the purpose of sharing the information about the dangers they needed to be wary about.
Do Crows Know When Another Crow Dies?
Crows are not omnipotent beings where they can instantly detect if one of their members has fallen.
However, crows are widely scattered in the world, bearing almost 28 million in number.
Certainly, they are not extinct.
They are even one of the most stable species with a rapid rate of reproduction.
So, it is to be expected that when a crow dies, it will only be a matter of time before another crow discovers it.
It will only need one or two crows to spot a dead body before calling the whole family.
Once a crow has spotted a dead member, it will call the other crows through a loud call.
This behavior is called “scolding” where they are calling each other in response to seeing a dead body.
The whole murder will now gather and investigate why their companion died, so they will be able to avoid the possible threat.
Do Dead Crows Deter Other Crows?
Dead crows are one of the best deterrents against these birds.
Many people hang fake dead crows to keep them away.
Crows often avoid the places where a dead member has been found since it will most likely imply that there is a lurking danger in the area.
These cawing birds investigate the area where they discovered the body and try to rule out the threats they should avoid.
A dead crow greatly disturbs the other birds, leading them to avoid the place as much as possible.
This is why it is highly recommended by other people to hang a dead body of a crow to naturally drive these birds away from the place.
Related article – Why do crows make noise at night?
Wrapping Up
Birds have their certain ways of holding a funeral for their deceased member.
Crows, for instance, gather around the dead body and try to communicate to each other through loud caws.
However, they do this not to mourn the bird, but to discover any threats or danger to be avoided.
It is important to stay away from areas with gathered crows.
These birds are intelligent enough to remember faces of people even after several years.
Once these crows determine that you might be involved in the death of their own, they will likely pester you since you are considered a threat to the whole group already.
