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Gabi MannAmerican girl making friends with crows
Country:
 USA |
Content:
- Gabi Mann: The Girl who Befriended Crows
- The Start of a Strange Friendship
- Gifts from Feathered Friends
- A Special Connection
- A Mother's Perspective
- The Intelligence of Crows
- A Girl Connected with Nature
Gabi Mann: The Girl who Befriended Crows
American Girl, Friends with CrowsGabi Mann, a young American girl from Seattle, Washington, formed an unlikely friendship with a group of crows in her backyard. What started as feeding them peanuts turned into a heartwarming relationship where the crows began giving Gabi gifts in return.
The Start of a Strange Friendship
In 2011, when Gabi was just four years old, she occasionally dropped food by accident. The crows quickly noticed this and began spending more and more time around her house. Gabi would play with the begging crows, even sharing her breakfast with them before going to school. Soon, the crows would wait for her at the bus stop.
Gifts from Feathered Friends
As Gabi continued to feed the crows daily, they started reciprocating her kindness by leaving her various gifts in empty bird feeders. These gifts included shiny beads, buttons, scraps of metal and plastic. The most touching gift was a metal plate with the word 'best' on it. Such plates typically come in pairs, with the word 'friend' on the other one. Gabi also received valuable items like a pearl heart. While the market value of these gifts may not be high, Gabi believes they represent the crows' love for her.
A Special Connection
Gabi carefully collects the gifts, sorting them by their level of interest. She treasures these gifts and does not allow others to touch them. Gabi believes the crows have learned a lot about her as they often bring items that match her preferences, such as blue objects, Lego pieces, and shiny toys.
A Mother's Perspective
Gabi's mother, Lisa, is more skeptical. She believes the crows bring shiny objects that are easy to carry in their beaks. However, she agrees that the crows are smarter than expected. She had a personal experience when she accidentally dropped the cap of her camera while photographing an eagle. Lisa forgot about it until an hour later when she found the cap on the edge of one of the bird feeders. After reviewing the surveillance footage, she witnessed a crow bringing back the lost cap and carefully placing it on the edge of the feeder.
The Intelligence of Crows
Scientists confirm the intelligence of crows. They have the ability to remember both acts of kindness and harm. Individuals who throw stones at crows or try to help injured birds often find themselves under close surveillance by the crows for a long time. Professor John Marzluff, an expert in avian social ecology at the University of Washington, suggests that forming a strong bond with these highly intelligent birds is simple - just reward their positive behavior with treats like peanuts. Crows have a particular fondness for peanuts due to their high nutritional value, and the noise made by the shells when they fall on hard surfaces attracts their attention.
A Girl Connected with Nature
Gabi treasures her friendship with the crows and believes she has formed a strong connection with nature as a result. She now refers to herself as a "nature girl." Her story is a testament to the intelligence and emotional depth of these remarkable creatures.
