The gods of Amazon delivered my Primos Crow Call and Turkey Locator. I’ve read the directions and practiced in front of the dog. She’s vibed me for more than an hour to knock it off.
It seems every time I blow through this thing (which looks like a fattened, black whistle) that she has to get up off the couch and race into the kitchen to see if a crow has actually come inside. Her disappointment is palpable and human earplugs don’t fit her well, even when held in place with an ace bandage.
Based on these Amazon reviews, I chose the Primos product. I was particularly inspired by review #4 and bought an extra one for my purse.
Crows, just like humans, have different voices. Not only can they make bird sounds but they also imitate human voices convincingly. The whistle comes with a lifetime warranty and a warning:
“Primos game calls are so accurate you might attract other hunters, as well as game. The user of this product assumes all risk of injury in association with the use of the product.”
I consider the known predators of crows and the many implications.
The instructions for using the call are simple:
- Hold the barrel by the far end (?).
- Place mouthpiece between lips (would not have figured this out).
- Experiment by covering different amounts of the call mouthpiece (I think they meant barrel. Half-palming the barrel had me checking over my own shoulder to search the ceiling for corvids.)
- Exhale air while saying the word “CAW” (essential advice even though there’s no way to say “CAW” with something stuck in your mouth). Nonetheless, it produces a squawking noise of sufficient duration. The dog rises from couch again.
The dog and I have eaten the most popular crow treat: the Busseto Dry Salami nuggets. The chicken coop roof is covered in peanuts, a less popular treat it seems. I tried using the crow call, calling into the cool night air. This rendered the pond silent and started the rooster crowing. The dog has given up and gone to bed.
A Partial Crow Dictionary
Here is a short list of crow calls. They can be combined as needed to greater effect.
Feeding Call: CAW-CAWWW, CAW-CAWWW, (pause one to two seconds and repeat 7x) means “I’ve found food”
Come Here Call: CAWWW-CAWWW-CAWWW (pause one to two seconds and repeat once.) means “come here” and is often combined with the feeding call (above.)
Sentry Call: CAWWW-CAW-CAW-CAWWW is a sentry call and alerts others to danger.
Come Back Call: CAW-CAW-CAWWW-CAWWW (often said when a crow flies by another crow) means “come back here.”
Fighting Call: If the Come Here Call doesn’t work, the Fighting Call is recommended. It is: CAWWW-CAWWW-CAW-CAW-CAWWW.
Rally Call: CAWWW-CAWWW-CAWWW-CAWWW means “hey, guys, I’ve found something (for best results deliver with enthusiasm and vigor.)
Oh, Tonia, I have started my day with a grin as I read this. My boys,have all sorts of calls, handheld and electronic. The sounds of elk bugles, squealing rabbits, and turkeys are something that hold intrigue for them. Your experience, told with your wry humor, gave me cause once again to miss the ranch.
I read this and felt grief. Oh, the fun R & B could have had had we only known their shared interest. As the saying goes, my house is your house. Thanks for reading and commenting.
You are the only person I’ve met who wants to attract crows, and this was such a fun read. In my city, some groups have been enticing city hall to encourage the crows to leave–because they have been attacking pedestrians walking the paths. Apparently they are drawn to hats and bald heads equally–though the results of their thievery attempts have been completely different.
They ARE drawn to hats and bald heads. When crows mob people, its usual because they feel there is a territory violation. One could argue that since they have probably lived in that area longer than people that we are the invaders. I love crows for their intelligence and adaptability and their close affiliation with humans. Crows can be a great assistance with chickens keeping other predators at bay. Thanks for reading and commenting.
I read about your adventures with calling crows during breakfast. Stacey asked what was so entertaining. When I got to the part about the instructions and different calls for crows, she said, “I think someone is ‘efffing’ with her.” Still laughing!
Please tell Ms. S that I will for sure be carrying a second one of these Primos callers in my purse. Today, I produced the following: CAW-CAW-CAWWW-CAWWW-CAW-CAW and the crows magically produced my son’s hidden stash of contraband from where he had left it behind the shed. I’m now training the crow to go through one of an old backpack…the possibilities are endless when mothers and crows come calling. Thanks for reading and commenting too.
Hahahahahahaha!!! The crows are magical parenting aides! If only we’d known this sooner…! I’ll have to order to Primos crow callers for my students’ parents…!
So funny and educational too! I’m off to find my turkey call. I’ll step outside and use it every time the turkey next door ties her poor little barking dog out.
Hahahahahaha! The turkey next door! Dying!!!
Great idea. I can’t believe anyone would do that to a dog! 🙁 Thanks for reading.
I love every detail of this post, from the photo of the crow caller and dungeon keys to crow call patterns, which I can honestly say I’ve had privilege of hearing with my own ears. I love this quest of yours to befriend the crows. I’m picturing you, someday in the not-distant future, in a cape of shiny black, commanding your loyal crow army in the defense of some worthy cause…
That would be nice. So far, I have only managed a few tits and a weak Stellar’s Jay. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Reading this over a cup of coffee and laughing out loud. It’s great and so much fun. I’m looking forward to reading more about these adventures and still laughing at the visual of your dog with an ace bandage wrapped around her ears! This post makes me smile!
A smile at the end of a long week, always a winner. This post of yours made me laugh. Around here I would avoid such a whistle since I live way too close to a nature reserve – all kinds of fowl might pitch, just to enquire about the commotion 😉
THIS. This is one of the reasons I love your writing so much. Funny and fun and intriguing. Not to mention funny. And I love how it makes me want to pay more attention to my local avian denizens. I know there are crows around Margaret’s Pond, although I hear red-winged blackbirds more often. I love the dungeon keys, the spare caller, the poor dog with improvised crow caller muffs. Oh, and did I mention funny?
Okay, this is WAY too much fun. We have a “murder” of crows (or is that ravens?) in our neighborhood. I will be checking your Crow Glossary for sure. I’m thinking they sit in the tops of trees and issue the Fight Call. 🙂