Ze Frank (True Facts YouTube Channel) recently released a video about crows crafting tools to solve problems. It's quite amazing and, of course, very funny: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-HF-wBwQsc

Welp, here I go again, off to watch random episodes of The Show. I miss those times.

I'v seen a video where a crow use a series of tools in a specific order to obtain a reward

I don't have it to hand but they're able to trade and are wise enough to avoid people who cheat them. Either them or family member kinda trains/works with wolves as well.

It probably is why crows and ravens get that treatment. Not sure if they're not that fussy about food though, media/literature always makes them seem like vulture like scavenge

Crows are ominous in literature and folklore because they are carrion eaters. So, if you see crows, especially in large numbers, that will mean it's likely there some large amount of dead animals or even people around: a very ominous sign almost be definition.

Lots of animals are carrion eaters, but aren't given the same ominous treatment. Some examples would be beetles, eels, alligators, etc.

Most of those animals aren't large, loud, dark black, and can fly around your head and face.

So probably that as well?

Indeed!

The point I was emphasizing was that it is not just:

>because they are carrion eaters.

as the parent I replied to asserted.

You cant see those from a long distance away. Also factor in where advanced cultures evolved that were our ancestors.

I've seen pigeons eating corpses carcasses of other birds. Those winged rats (I don't like pigeons) will eat anything.

As for crows, I live in a country where sometime it snows, and I make sure that when it is very cold (snow, ice, or generally below 5 C)I feed the (3) crows of my building. Every time I am outside, walking, they are always looking after me. Flying near me, standing and looking at me, nodding at me. And I always speak to them when they come close, with calm voice (phrases like "I'm friend, you are good, thank you", etc.).

I want to find a way to 'monetize' on this relationship and teach them how to bring me shiny things (I keep thinking but never actually googling on how other people have done this).

I've thought about teaching them this, but ultimately I decided against. While they may find unclaimed loose change for you, they could just as easily figure out a scheme to distract and rob some poor beggar or busker, and you wouldn't ever know.

There's probably some kind of crow-to-crow "these are friends, these are enemies" abstract communication, but I don't think you'd have much luck communicating the concept "to me, humans are friends, so don't rob them on my behalf" across the species barrier.

The prize is the crow's reciprocal gratitude, not the actual object. I just find it cool that they like me.

Buy a vending machine that dispenses crow snacks when money is put in.

Place the vending machine outside

Teach them that putting money in the vending machine dispenses crow snacks.

Practice placing dollar bills and other bits of paper around your property til they get the hang of it and figure out what works for the vending machine.

... profit?

If you read the Game of Thrones books, there's recurring mentions of "a feast for crows" after major battles. It really sets the tone, whenever crows gather there's devastation.