If you鈥檝e felt a rush of wind over your head or heard the angry caw of a crow lately, you鈥檙e not alone.
The annual wave of dive-bombing crows is back in full force, and it鈥檚 not personal 鈥� it鈥檚 parenting.
Each spring, typically from April through July, crows enter their nesting season. That鈥檚 when adult birds become hyper-vigilant, fiercely protective of their vulnerable chicks. And that鈥檚 when unsuspecting pedestrians can become targets, especially if they unknowingly wander too close to a nest.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e fantastic parents, but they鈥檙e very anxious ones,鈥� Nadia Xenakis, a specialist in wild animal welfare with the BC SPCA said. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 know the difference between a human, a dog, or an eagle. They just see a threat to their babies and want it gone.鈥�
That explains the sudden swoops and startling brushes against heads downtown.
It鈥檚 not aggression for aggression鈥檚 sake 鈥� it鈥檚 defence. Most swoops are simply warnings to keep moving, but if someone lingers too long, the crow may escalate to physical contact.
鈥淭he biggest thing is: don鈥檛 stop,鈥� Xenakis said. 鈥淜eep walking and get out of the area. Most people panic, freeze, and try to figure out what鈥檚 happening 鈥� but now they鈥檝e become a stationary threat.鈥�
Xenakis also recommends taking a different route entirely if you know you鈥檙e approaching a nesting hotspot. Wearing a hat, carrying an umbrella, or even wearing your hat backwards can help by creating a physical barrier between you and any particularly insistent crows.
鈥淚f it gives you peace of mind and prevents contact, I totally recommend it,鈥� Xenakis said. 鈥淓ven if the crow makes contact, it鈥檒l hit the umbrella or the hat, not you.鈥�
You can also use, an online map that tracks dive-bombing incidents throughout the city. Users can report encounters and view existing hotspots 鈥� a useful tool for planning your walk or warning others.
While crows may be the loudest offenders, they鈥檙e not the only protective parents in town.
Xenakis said geese, too, are on high alert near waterways this time of year.
But unlike mobile goslings that follow their parents shortly after birth, baby crows 鈥� called fledglings 鈥� often end up on the ground during their early flying lessons. That can spark a different kind of human-crow conflict.
鈥淧eople sometimes try to 鈥榬escue鈥� fledglings, but unless they鈥檙e injured or clearly in distress, they鈥檙e usually fine,鈥� Xenakis said. 鈥淭heir parents are nearby, still feeding and watching them. The best thing you can do is give them space.鈥�
Dog owners should also be aware. An off-leash pup bounding up to a nesting tree might not know better, but the crows sure do. Xenakis encourages keeping dogs leashed and moving quickly through active nesting areas to avoid triggering a defensive response.
鈥淯ltimately, this isn鈥檛 about angry birds,鈥� Xenakis said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about protective parents. If we respect that and give them room, we can all get through nesting season without incident.鈥�