Crows for Halloween

It took me years to notice that the big black birds in my neighborhood are sometimes crows and sometimes ravens.

Unless you pay attention, they all just seem like big black birds.

They both belong to the corvid family, but there are key differences. (Google "crow vs. raven differences" to learn more.) Basically, ravens are bigger, have a slightly hooked bill, a wedge-shaped tail when they fly, and make a sort of "gronk!" noise. The smaller crows have a straighter bill, a flat-across tail when they fly, and make the classic "caw, caw!" noise.

Both species are very smart. Both are capable of remembering individual people, and they teach their babies who the mean people in the neighborhood are.

I like that. I want them to think of me as one of the good guys.

So sometimes I toss a few Cheerios onto the ground as we pass by, to give the birds a treat.

Over the weekend, this bunch of corvids popped up:

They're fake, but they look quite real:

The homeowner has very cleverly perched them the way a flock of crows might perch:

They remind me of the classic Alfred Hitchcock film "The Birds."

Kind of cute, kind of creepy. The perfect outdoors decor for Halloween!