A crow with a knife a rock star? Most people have a negative preconceived idea of crows.  Seeing this famous crow with a knife must bring the hebegebies to most.

Not for me! I got so excited when I heard the story of Canuck. He is a very famous crow in Vancouver BC. He hit the international news when he got involved in police business. Below you will find links and photos about this Crow Rock Star.

Before you go check out how cool Canuck is I want to explore our conflicting ideas of crows and how the word “Evil” is often associated with them.

We humans think of one crow alone in a tree to be mysterious (as in the picture above). As the flock gets bigger and bigger we go into a primeval mode.  We feel on the defensive and that these dark crows could attack us.  Are you thinking of the old Alfred Hitchcock movie the Birds?

Our historic knowledge of crows and ravens has not always been happy images.  These images range from flocks of birds raiding the fall harvest to them scavenging among battlefield dead. How can anyone not fear a creature that peeks the eyes out of dead soldiers?  Not that we have witnessed this phenomena in the current decades.  Humans have found new ways in warfare that don’t leave dead just lying around.  We bomb them to pieces and think we are being more humane.  Hah!!  and crows are evil?  Look at our image before you throw the first stone on these intelligent birds.

Pacific Northwest indigenous people think of the Raven/Crow as a sage and trickster.  A similar story of the world with no light is found in many of the New World’s people. The world is a dark place and in that story the Raven decided he would bring light to the world. The Chief of Heaven kept it in a box and the raven conceived a plan to steal it.  He became a leaf on a stream where the chief’s daughter was drinking.  She gave birth to him and as the favored grandson the Chief of Heaven gave it Raven.  He turned back into a bird and flew away with the box of light. Then he dropped it in error and the light broke into many pieces creating the stars, moon and sun.

In the North American mythology raven is a personification of supreme being. When it flaps its wings, it creates the wind, the lightning and the thunder. And it is also the raven who is responsible for the rhythm of seasons and providing the shamans with their visionary and healing powers.  Wait..this is a good image!!  Are we human’s confused or what?

No wonder these black beauties have an image problem.  One day they are riding high as the creator of the world and then the next century they are feared as the death of things.

Back to our famous Canuck. His brush with the law is a perfect example of this good and evil crow story. Why did he take the knife? We may never really know but my guess is he likes to have fun. The knife was shiny and everyone wanted it. Canuck just got it first.   Enjoy reading more via this link to one of many news articles around his escapade.

Washington Post article on Canuck

He also has a Facebook page that now has gone viral for a crow!!

Canuck & I Facebook

This is one special crow. He was saved after falling out of his nest way before he could fly. After spending months with his human family they released him. First they banded him with a red zip tie to insure everyone knew who he was.  He gained a new friend for life when he found himself lost. That was when Shawn Bergman found him and in this crows eyes, he is his savior and now best friend.

This rings so true to me because the reason I started my blog the Crows of Arroyos was we saved and raised a baby crow 10 years ago. However, Ellie flew away with another crow never to return. Shawn and Canuck are so special in that they have a prolonged relationship.

Warning all – raising a baby crow is not only a huge commitment but in the USA is illegal.

This one year old crow is so famous now that he has his own logo.

He is a mischievous sort demonstrated in this group of photos.

I leave you with this crow surfing on a car hood. Are you envious of his good times? I am!