Heads Up! It’s Strafing Season And That’s Not Something To Crow About — Dave’s Diary

I walked home for lunch the other day and this stupid crow started to dive bomb me.  I read once that crows can recognize human faces and I wondered if I had somehow crossed this crow before. If you hang out in an area with a lot of crows, you’ll probably already know the crow was acting this way.  It happens because crows have recently let their young out into the big, scary world beyond the nest, and they’re keeping a close watch on their little ones.

This time of protectiveness is called “starfing season” and it means that adult crows will swoop and dive at an unsuspecting human that gets too close to any of the still-vulnerable young crows. Mostly the swooping is harmless as it’s just meant to scare threats away, not injure, but occasionally the crows do make contact.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife says, “If you must walk past a nest, wave your arms slowly overheard to keep the birds at a distance. Other protective actions include wearing a hat or helmet, or carrying an umbrella.”   (UPI)

I must admit, I have never been "starfed" before!