Bay Curious Are We Having a 'Crow-maggedon'?
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Feb 9, 2026 Dan Brekke, a field reporter who tracked and interviewed locals and scientists about Bay Area crows. He explains nightly crow roosting and why numbers have risen in recent decades. The conversation covers whether crows displace other birds, how cities concentrate food, and crow intelligence plus nonlethal ways people can coexist.
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Why Crows Roost In Big Flocks
- Crows form large winter roosts for safety and social reasons, sharing information about food and shelter.
- They pick sites with predator views and shelter, returning night after night to the same locations.
Listener’s Daily Crow Sightings
- Kevin Branch noticed crows everywhere around his Redwood City workplace and reported daily sightings.
- He demonstrated his observation with a loud caw during the interview to prove the ubiquity of crows.
Crow Population Surge Over Decades
- Christmas bird counts show a major rise in Bay Area crow numbers from 167 in 2000 to ~2,500 in recent years.
- The increase was steady over decades, though trends vary regionally.