Crows: Encounters with the Wise Guys of the Avian World {10th Anniversary Edition}

By Candace Savage

Book Overview

A treasure trove of stories, poems, and information on the brainy, black-feathered bird that's rich in insight and humor.

This revised and expanded edition of Candace Savage's best-selling book about ravens and crows is enhanced by additional paintings, drawings, and photos, as well as a fascinating selection of first-person stories and poems about remarkable encounters with crows. In one story, a pack of crows brilliantly thwarts an attack by a Golden Eagle; in another, a mischievous crow rescues the author from grief. And in a third piece, after nursing a battered baby crow back to health until it flies off with other crows, Louise Erdrich hauntingly describes her altered awareness as she listens for the "dark laugh" of crows while she works.

Based on two decades of audacious research by scientists around the world, the book also provides an unprecedented, evidence-based glimpse into corvids' intellectual, social, and emotional lives. But whether viewed through the lens of science, myth, or everyday experience, the result is always the same. These birds are so smart--and so mysterious--they take your breath away.

Published in Partnership with the David Suzuki Institute.

Praise for Crows

"A beautifully crafted celebration of these birds." --Nature

"A deft juxtaposition of interesting anecdotes and firsthand accounts of scientific discoveries." --Canadian Literature

"Surprising avian revelations are contained within the pages of Savage's glorious festival of crow arcana." --Alberta Views

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1771640855
• ISBN13: 9781771640855
• Release Date: May 2015
• Publisher: Greystone Books
• Length: 136 Pages
• Weight: 0.79 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.3" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

The Amazing Crow

Excellent short book with incredible stories/facts of crows & ravens.

If you enjoy birds,don't pass this one up!

I am an avid Birder and have a large library of bird and Natural History books. Over the years I have see many books on birds that are just a bunch of fluff gathered together by an editor and/or publisher. At a cursury glance,this might appear to be such a book. However;If you are familiar with the author;you'll know that she has authored several excellent books about birds. This book is a first class look at Crows.It covers history,legend,personal experiences,behaviour and more importantly many intersting things that are recently being learned by some of the best scientists and researchers around today. They have learned things that just might convince you that crows are much more intelligent than they have ever been credited for. Well,not everyone. It is a pretty well known fact to anyone who has spent time in the country;that crows are exceptionally wary. Just try to get anywhere near them carrying a rifle;even if well concealed.You haven't got a hope! Whether a very knowledgeable birder or one who just enjoys watching crows around where they live;you will be amased at what is in this book. As a long time Birder,I must admit,I haven't spent much attention on crows.We see them everywhere;and well,they're just there! After reading this book I am going to pay much more attenion to them;and I highly recommend it. I am reminded of those famous words of that great Baseball Player,Yogi Berra; "You can see a lot by watching!" On top of being an excellent book because of its subject matter;it has excellent construction,high quality paper,top of the line color rendition and printing.It also comes with excellent references and notes.How can you go wrong with such a fine book? You just can't!

Illustrations Supreme

Although there are quite a few miles between Saskatoon and New York, it seems clear to me that many of Candace Savage's Wise Guys and ours must be relatives! They've worked out a real-estate-sharing arrangement with cardinals, blue jays, and many smaller birds (plus squirrels, etc.) -- all in and around a huge oak tree in our back yard. If they're not out and around, I know it's not going to be such a good day. Ms. Savage covers crow-family relationships and behavior as well as their interactions with urban or rural human surroundings. Her illustrations are many and as varied and wonderful as their subjects - current and historic, geographically and culturally significant. She has an excellent additional reference list and a good index.

Fascinating Tricksters

If you, like me, love the image of Crows as "swaggering black-clad wise guys", then this book is for you! Candace Savage's book is not an acedemic tome, or a scientific study..it's a wonderful, witty, captivating exploration into these amazing birds. The many beautiful illustrations, including several by Arthur Rackham, as well as Pacific Northwest Indian designs, are a treasure in themselves, and her inclusion of myths and legends of this fabled bird make this book an incredible treat. I laughed and cackled all the way through it!

Crows: Encounters with the Wise Guys

I love this book. It is beautifully done. When I ordered it, I was looking for a book with an overview of the intelligence of Crows and that is exactly what I got...along with beautiful pictures and interesting folk tales about corvids. This book is a good stepping off point for people who have a casual interest and would like to get started learning about crows. There is a very good listing of books in the back of this book for further reading about these magnificant birds.

Fascinating Corvid Compilation!

Candace Savage writes about crows the way I think about them; with a great appreciation for their astonishing intelligence, an insight into their dark depths, and their wry humor (yes, they're that smart.) She also gathered together a visual feast spanning centuries and cultures that showcase human's fascination and sense of kinship with crows. She's got the best of the corvid researchers thoughts in here, but most enjoyable of all is her own writing and obvious love for this darkly gleaming tribe that continues to thrive right along side us. I highly recommend this work, and Ms. Savage should be very proud of what she accomplished with it.