Being followed by crows

I'd also say that maybe the crows are a totem, spirit animal, or something of the like. I know, because I have experienced the same exact thing for years.

I don't see anything negative in the crows - I see them for what they are - intelligent birds who can be quite amusing, at times. As with all corvids. I love corvids, actually, and it bugs me that so many people see them so negatively.

Crows have followed me around for years, though I can't really say when it started. But it's happened when I've lived in different places - and not just one location. They'll perch near me if I'm outside walking, and once I pass them, they'll caw to their buddies and come perch nearer to me once again. Then I pass again, and so on.

I love crows. I am not sure what it is they try to tell me, but I can tell it's nothing negative. I take it as a sign that they like me, and I take it as a gift. Because that is what it is.

An interesting tidbit of info:

In occult circles, distinctions are sometimes made between crows and ravens. In mythology and folklore as a whole, crows tend to be symbolic more of the spiritual aspect of death, or the transition of the spirit into the afterlife, whereas ravens tend more often to be associated with the negative (physical) aspect of death. However, few if any individual mythologies or folklores make such a distinction, and there are ample exceptions. Another reason for this distinction is that while crows are typically highly social animals, ravens don't seem to congregate in large numbers anywhere but:

1. Near carrion where they meet seemingly by chance, or
2. At cemeteries, where large numbers sometimes live together, even though carrion there is no more available (and probably less attainable) than any road or field.

Amongst Neopagans, crows are often thought to be highly psychic and are associated with the element of ether or spirit, rather than the element of air as with most other birds. This may in part be due to the long-standing occult tradition of associating the color black with "the abyss" of infinite knowledge (see akasha), or perhaps also to the more modern occult belief that wearing the "color" black aids in psychic ability, as it absorbs more electromagnetic energy, since surfaces appear black by absorbing all frequencies in the visible spectrum, reflecting no color.

source

Someplace in the same article, it mentioned that crows tend to grab burning things (twigs from the fire, still lit cigarettes) and bring them back to their nests -- oftentimes in or near barns, which would (obviously) burn down. Hence the crow was thought to be a bad luck omen...


To me, Crows speak of strength and survival. The 'change' idea is interesting -- considering that they are highly adaptable, that makes sense. According to Wiki, Crows are the most intelligent bird -- usually based on the linguistic skills. (And thank you Helmutt -- I didn't know that crows held court. I wonder what their sense of justice is like...)

Years ago, I saw a pair of Ravens in a shelter. (They couldn't be released because of permanent wing damage.) The male had his tongue split and so could speak -- he could add and subtract, tell shapes and colors, even held short conversations! Apparently he was taught to speak the same way a parrot is, by watching the movement of your mouth and tongue. (If you ever try to train a parrot to speak, he'll try to stick his head in your mouth to watch and learn.)

The most awe-inspiring experience I've had with crows was late last fall -- a horde of crows flying from the west to the east -- literally hundreds!! They just kept coming and coming and coming.... took over 20 minutes before I saw the end... Absolutely amazing.


To all those with known totems and/or knowledge of totems: How does one understand that this animal/spirit is your totem, rather than a creature with a message?

[edit on 12-9-2007 by Diseria]

Crows are the smartest bird in the bird kingdom. They can learn to repeat up to 10k words, and a recent study has proven that they know how to count to 7. Not bad for a birdbrain. ha!
It could be a mundane explanation that their last holdout was bulldozed over, they are migrating, or they have found a tasty new food source they are following around.
They could have gotten lost, etc.

If you want a more spiritual answer, I would start researching totem animals to see if that is what happens to be your totem animal and they are trying to tell you something.

Diseria. Very interesting, though I noticed something, and thought I'd catch it and correct it, because I don't want to give the impression that things like tongue-splitting in birds is okay. Crows, along with other birds that can mimic/talk, do not need their tongues split to do so. This is an unnecessary and cruel practice. Birds can do just fine talking with their tongues intact.

As to your totem question... well... I find that there are temporary totems and ones that stay with you a bit more. The ones that stay with you are easy to tell, because you just experience them a lot. After a few years of crows hanging around you, you start to figure it out. If it's something temporary, meant to tell you something during a certain time in your life, then they will show up a lot, but not for as long a period of time. If you see them showing up a lot in your life, or witness them doing something out of character, and they just seem to be with you a lot, then they are most likely a totem.

BTW... a totem is a creature with a message.

[edit on 12-9-2007 by MinHawk]

reply to post by Hemps


Been there.

About 12 years ago. I started to notice them, usually in groups of three. Once I noticed them, I started to notice that they were all over the place. After about 2 weeks, it started to creep me out.

I read up on the birds of the area I was living in, read a bit about crows, and chalked it up to coincidence. I ignored them for the next couple of days. They started landing on the sidewalk in front of me, like they were trying to get my attention.

After work one day, I walked back part of the way home with a co-worker. I just kind of casually said: "lots of crows around here, eh?"... and he said: "crows? haven't seen many of those in a while. the odd robin and jay, lots of gulls, but I haven't seen many crows"...

...at which point a crow dive-bombed him from behind, knocking his hat askew. I`ll never forget the sheer profundity of his next statement: "oh, there`s one..."

Officially creeped out, and seeing them in more numbers and greater frequency, i sought the advice of a shaman (Cree) friend of mine.

He asked me what they did when I noticed them. (fly away, once I noticed them. always west.)

Then he asked me if they looked happy. (not as such, no)

Then he asked if I was happy in my job, and in my life, in that city.

I packed my bags, made my excuses, bought an airline ticket, and left. In hindsight, it was one of the best decisions I`ve ever made.

Your mileage may vary.

I have read before that seeing a lot of crows around you foretells change. I can say that I've seen lots of them around times of change - such as a move, change of job, etc. But then, they tend to be around me, in general, so I can't verify that for sure.

But the previous story makes a bit of sense to me in that regard.

crows are mystical in many cultures,in mine a crow means evil presence near you or even death,sorry

Maybe, but with all of the crows I've had around me, they've never meant anything negative. Ever. Since I have crows around me most of the time, I should have death following me wherever I go, right? I don't.

reply to post by Hemps


OP, I hope you still come around to visit this thread.

I feel the significance of the crows and your medication taking are directly attached.

Crows being the untainted and natural beings that they are seem to be trying to let you know that your mind and way of thinking have become tainted and un-natural with man-made medication dulling your brain into becoming compliant of our ever growing grotesquely twisted social norms we all endure nowdays.

The diagnoisis you have been given are in part largely symptoms of the decaying and controlling society that you live in and your mind has responded naturally in revulsion to this.

You might want to consider seeing your doctor about slowly getting off of your medication and use alternative means that are natural to cope with problems that adversly affect you. It will take a lot more work because you will actually have to use your brain, but I know you can do it.

Thank the beautiful crows for the warning and God speed...

I am so relieved to find this topic of discussion!!!!!

I too have been shadowed by Ravens but for the past 7 years....

I also live in San Francisco.

Here's my story....

I was 19 yrs old and a party animal. Im at my friends one day and we had a pellet gun.

I saw a small black bird (which I now think was a baby Raven) sitting on a power line.

I took aim and shot at it and hit it. it fell to the field (I don't know why I did it.

I have never hurt any animal or person ever before that or since then). My friend and

I walked over (from about 20 feet away) to find it. it wasn't there. we scoured the

whole area for at least an hour. looked everywhere. re-combed the area 10-15 times.

nothing. It disappeared.... we weren't partying at the time that this happened, we

were straight.

Next, no asssociation with ravens for any reason at all til 18 years later (7 years

ago).

I lived in san Francisco and there's a park across the street with a huge tree. One

day I noticed a huge Raven at the top of the tree. I didn't think much of it til a few

weeks later when the raven appeared in front of my window (which faces the park)

standing on a metal grate. He was caw'ing and staring at me til I left the room. I

came back and he was gone.

Next, here's a quick chronology of what has happened since...

I walked into the park one day and noticed a huge branch on the ground. I looked at

the end of the branch and could tell that it had broken off the tree from very high

up. This branch was huge. The only conclusion that i came up with is that the Raven

had sttod on the branch and broke it. But, it must have weigheed much more than an

actual bird could weigh as I said the branch was huge and the tree was not dying so it

was strong. This happened a second time about a year later. There's no way possible

for that Raven to have the weight or strength to break that branch....

Next, I was at the beach one day and then left to go home. I stopped in golden gate

park to pee (no bathrooms around). I get out of my car and look around before I start

to go. There is no one around and I mean no one!!!! As Im going, I sense something. I

look over my shoulder and there is a man walking across the road parallel to me. He

looks at me and I at him. I turn to finish my business. Not more than 10 seconds later

I look again and he is no where to be found. I hear a caw in the trees and look up.

There's a black raven staring down at me caw'ing repeatedly. There is no way that the

man could have walked away out of my view that fast based on where I was. It really

spooked me and I didn't know what to do or think. I thought about telling someone but

knew they would think I was insane...

I woorked for a an Australian company. they flew me back to Sydney, Australia on

business. I stayed at a downtown hotel. One night I prepping for work the next day and

watching TV. I look out of the window and I can't believe my eyes. There's a Raven

sitting on top of a building staring at me. We stared at each other for a minute. I

look back to the TV and then back out the window. the Raven is gone. This happened

within maybe 5-10 seconds. What's even stranger is that it was past midnight.....

Birds are suppose to be sleeping at that time...

Next, I am walking home from the store. I walk by the park and lo and behold this huge

raven comes out of thr tree and fly's down onto the sidewalk directly in front of me.

I stop and we again stare at each other. A moment later he caw's at me and then flies away....

link

I use this one. I like them although they are not very sanitary and should not be touched.




[edit: fixed long link that was skewing page format]

[edit on 15-6-2008 by 12m8keall2c]

I love how people who don't know much about about various completely natural phenomena come decide how this and that must be very rare and unnatural. It's time to correct one little misunderstanding.

The original poster thought crows must not be very common in the city, so seeing them a lot must be something supernatural. Well, guess again... The American Crow, Corvus brachyrhyncho is one of North America's most common birds, especially so in urban areas, where the birds will feed on leftovers and trash generated by humans.

There are some 50 species in the genus Corvus, and many of them are very common in the temperate climate zones of Eurasia and North America.

So, all in all, no crow is "following" any of you, they're just all over the place anyway.

I have had a few experiences like that myself. Although to be honest, I have been attacked and dive bombed by them much more than followed. I find it actually funny though trying to see it through their eyes as I am walking by or working in the garden. "hehehe, Ill get you human". They dive down grab my hair then fly off only to do it again and again. They don't seem to peck much during their raids......just grab the hair and go. Funny funny birds.

reply to post by Hemps


i just walked home from the gym and had 2 crows follow me home, cawing at me and swooping down near my head! thats what lead me to find this site...

reply to post by Cutwolf


Yea.. just notice 3(?)BIG crows at work .. just last week. What's really strange is, in the last 4 years I've worked there, I've never seen them around, and I walk by the hallways windows EVERY day, 10x-20x a day.

This thread got my attention immediately as it reminded me of something i have never told anyone.

When in the armed forces whether it was UK, Cyprus, Jordan, Falklands, Bosnia, Ireland etc etc you name it there were crows. Now i know that may not be odd however the crows that im talking about were always a bunch of crows that used to perch around the front entrance to every camp in which i was based. A few of the other soldiers made comments of this one night when we were drinking so in know im not the only one who noticed this. Every camp entrance with a sentry on guard where i was based had a bunch of these things perched near the gate.

I believed or imagined that they were the reincarnation of every officer who had served within my regiment there to keep an eye on the soldiers and to defend their regiment even after death.

Probably nothing but thats the impression i used to get

I cannot speak for crows specifically but birds are messingers in general.

Twice in my life a bird has flown into the window of my home and landed on my leg while I was in bed. Both times were days where I found out that my wife was pregant.

You can take that for what it is worth, but I now shut my window after sex to avoid having more kids!

reply to post by Hemps



May I ask you, what is it that you transport in your truck?
Food, by any chance?

I - and many other people - have noticed a great increase in the number of crows in cities throughout Europe. I think it's a fair assumption they are running out of food (which is true of all birds, especially city birds - and I am basing this assertion on actual studies, not only personal observation).

The situation is probably critical.
And remember: this is the time of the year when they have to feed their young.

Crows - and birds in general - are FAR more intelligent than humans usually give them credit for. If your daily routine often involves handling important quantities of food or frequenting feeding places, then it could be that the crows stick around you to lead them to a possible source of food.




PS. Sorry, I hadn't noticed that the original message was posted last September. I am not that familiar with crow family planning, but it could be they had to feed an autumn "batch" of young.



[edit on 15-6-2008 by Vanitas]

I actually enjoy crow hunting since they are considered not a song bird and they have a set hunting season.If you want to see crazy stuff try calling crows.They will flock in the hundreds to you just to see whats going on esp if you have a owl decoy.Crows following someone i could see,they are known as one of the most intelligent birds and even known to talk.They will steal anything they can from you just like a raven would and put it in the nest.They are weary of humans and have excellent eye sight.

reply to post by alienstar


Because they are not considered "song birds", they deserve to have their life taken away...?

History has a name for such a school of thought, but I won't mention it here...

And it doesn't matter anyway.

The only truth that matters here is the fact that each one of them has a life: A life, one life - their only life.
Just like you or your children, if you have any.




[edit on 15-6-2008 by Vanitas]