What do crows eat, and what should I feed them?

What crows eat in the wild

Crows are omnivores and scavengers. In the wild they eat insects, worms, seeds, grain, fruit, eggs, small animals, carrion and whatever people drop. A wild crow finds almost all of its own food every day, which is why a few peanuts from you are a treat and not a diet.

Crows also cache food. A crow will carry a peanut off and bury it for later, which is one reason nuts in the shell work so well: a shelled nut survives being buried and is easy to spot in snow.

The best foods to feed crows

Everything below is plain, unsalted and unseasoned. That rule matters more than the food itself.

• Peanuts in the shellSafe The standard. Unsalted, raw or dry-roasted, fresh and dry. Throw out any that smell musty or look moldy. A small handful on the ground or a flat surface, then watch them fly off to hide the extras.
• Shelled peanutsSafe Fine, and easier for young crows. Unsalted, no flavoring. They get eaten faster and attract more squirrels.
• EggSafe Hard-boiled or scrambled, plain, no butter or salt, cut into pieces. Excellent protein, and crushed shell adds calcium. A favorite from March to June when adults are feeding chicks.
• Dog or cat kibbleSafe Plain, dry, low-salt. Nutritionally complete for an omnivore. Some crows ignore it at first.
• Cooked meatSafe Plain chicken, turkey or beef in small pieces. No seasoning, sauce, breading or bones that splinter. Pick up leftovers within an hour in warm weather.
• SuetSafe Plain suet is concentrated fat for cold weather. Skip it in the heat; it goes rancid.
• MealwormsSafe Dried or live. Natural insect protein.
• Walnuts, almonds, cashewsSafe Unsalted. High-value treats; feeders report crows prize walnuts above peanuts. A few pieces, not the daily base.
• Grapes and berriesSafe Sweet, hydrating, popular. Halve grapes for smaller birds.
• AppleSafe Chopped, with the seeds removed.
• Corn and peasSafe Cooked or dried corn, cooked plain peas. Cheap and accepted, not very nutritious on their own.
• Sunflower seedsSafe Accepted, though less exciting than peanuts.

Treats and "sometimes" foods

These are fine now and then, with a how-to attached.

• CheeseSometimes A big hit with many crows, but salty and fatty. Tiny cubes, occasionally. Mild cheeses are lower in salt.
• Peanut butterSometimes Plain and unsalted, a thin smear on a log or mixed with oats. Read the label: no xylitol, no added salt or sugar.
• Banana, strawberriesSometimes Ripe, in small pieces. Pick up what is left before it browns and draws flies.
• RaisinsSometimes A small pinch, soaked in water first in dry weather. No sugar-coated or yogurt raisins.
• Plain popcornSometimes Air-popped, nothing on it. Movie-theater, buttered or salted popcorn is not.
• Pumpkin seedsSometimes Raw and unsalted, straight from the pumpkin. Never the salted roasted ones.

How much to feed crows, and when

A handful is plenty. Big piles attract rats, gulls and neighbor complaints, and they make crows lazy about foraging. You want them to see you as a reliable treat, not the buffet.

• Offer only what gets eaten in one sitting.
• Feed on a clean flat surface or the ground, and clear leftovers the same day.
• Never leave food out overnight.
• Put food out when your crows arrive rather than leaving it sitting. Crows learn your schedule fast and will often be waiting, which also leaves less for squirrels and pigeons.

If the crows start showing up in large loud groups at dawn, you are feeding too much. Cut back.

Water: the most overlooked thing you can offer

A shallow dish of fresh water, changed daily and rinsed weekly with a splash of vinegar or dilute bleach, gets used more than you would expect. Crows drink from it and dunk dry food in it to soften it.

What to skip

Chocolate, avocado, onion and garlic, caffeine and alcohol, the sweetener xylitol, anything moldy, and anything salty, seasoned or fried, including salted peanuts. Bread is not toxic, but it fills crows up with almost no nutrition, so keep it rare. The full list, with the reasons, is in what not to feed crows.

For the routine that turns a food spot into a friendship, read how to befriend a crow.