Crow Superstition.

Crows are one of the most mysterious and complex birds and an animal that we are still learning more about each day. One very interesting behavior of crows is their ability to communicate. They are highly intelligent animals that have their own unique language, and sometimes that communication is directed at us humans. 

So, what does it mean when a crow caws at you? 

Crows may caw at you for a variety of reasons, but it is usually to make a connection with you, to warn you about a threat, or to scare you away. If a crow caws at you with no other crows around, it may be trying to send you a message or to build a relationship. 

Depending on the context that you hear a crow cawing at you, the message this bird is sending you can vary greatly. By observing the other patterns or factors of the crow cawing, you can figure out what it means, and if there is a deeper spiritual meaning to the message. 

Crow Cawing Superstition

Crows throughout history have been linked to magic, occultism, mysticism, and death due to their mysterious nature and dark feathers. Many cultures have folklore of crows being supernatural creatures that can travel between the physical and spiritual realms, and help guide lost souls to the underworld. As a carrion bird, crows have a unique relationship with the dead. 

Because of this, a common superstition is that if a crow follows you and caws at you, especially at night, there will be bad luck or death that will come to pass. If a crow caws at you in the morning, you have averted disaster and positive new beginnings will come to pass. 

Some other superstitions regarding birds include: 

While these are some superstitions, they should not be taken as truth nor literally. Here is an article that explains the history of crows in ancient cultures, that can give you a wider perspective on why these came to be. 

If you would like to know more about the spiritual meaning of a crow, you can read about it in an article I wrote here.

Is a Crow Cawing Good or Bad? 

Based on the label that crows received as being “harbingers of death,” it may seem that having a crow cawing at you is a bad sign. However, this is rarely the case. Most often, crows caw at us humans to understand us more, for the purposes of food, security, or spiritual reasons. They are intelligent birds and may begin to see you as part of their ecosystem. 

The most common pattern of birds cawing at humans is a burst of 3-5 caws, a pause, then a few more caws. This is how crows communicate in a non-threatening way to give notice that they are there and ready to chat. It is a way for them to determine via their language who is nearby that is responsive to them and who isn’t. 

Humans have been able to form bonds with wild crows by responding to this call, providing food and water, and establishing a trusting relationship.

Some people have reported that after they establish a strong relationship with a wild crow, the crow gave them a unique name. There will be a certain tone and sequence that the bird calls to a specific person to get their attention and to communicate with other crows about that person. 

Crows Cawing When in Distress

If a crow caws without pausing and sounds in distress, this is likely that they are trying to warn you and others about a predator nearby, or they think you are a threat to them.  

Recently, I heard a crow cawing wildly in my backyard. Soon other crows joined in, and they all were cawing madly. Upon hearing these sounds, my cat woke from his slumber and quickly hid under the couch. When I looked outside to see what was going on, I spotted a wild coyote passing through the yard. It baffled me that the crows were able to warn the other creatures about the threat nearby.

So, if a crow caws wildly at you, it may be that they perceive you as a threat. They may have a nest nearby or have determined that you are in their territory. This can be validated if they dive-bomb you or try to threaten you in other ways. 

A Crow Cawing at You As An Animal Spirit Guide

Spiritually, if a crow caws at you and you feel as if you have a spiritual connection with this animal, it may be a sign that the crow is your animal spirit guide or power animal. Some people with strong spiritual connections to the animal kingdom will feel spiritually activated by the presence of crows and will find repeating patterns of crows showing up in their lives. 

You may also have unique spiritual gifts that crows are sensitive to, such as mediumship, clairvoyance, or other psychic gifts. If you do have highly spiritual events in your life and crows often caw at you, this may be a sign that you are uniquely connected to a spiritual realm that they can see and communicate with. 

If you feel as though a crow cawing at you is a spiritual message, you should give your full attention to the crow and try to listen to the deeper messages. It may be helpful to record the sounds that the crow is making and spend some time meditating on these sounds. 

Crow Cawing Outside of Your Window

Just like out of a horror film, many people report seeing crows staring and cawing at people through their window. 

It is not known exactly why crows will caw or peck at windows, but the most common answer is that they are threatened by their own reflection. This is especially true if they act agitated or will caw continuously without taking breaks. If the crow only caws when it is dark and when they can see their reflection more clearly, this is likely the explanation. 

Crows have an interesting fascination with humans and will spend time observing our behaviors. This is likely because we are their biggest predatory threat, and because they are so intelligent, they want to know as much as possible so that they do not get in harm’s way. 

If a crow is cawing at you through a window, it could be a way that they are figuring out if you are a threat or not and determining how you fit into their environment. If the crow does not act agitated and will just hang around cawing intermittently, they are likely just feeling comfortable in the space around your home and keeping a close eye on things. You can feed it or put out basins of water to make it feel more comfortable. 

Here is an example of a crow cawing at a window in a non-threatening way. 

A third reason is that some people report crows cawing at their window if there is strong spiritual activity in the home. It may be that your home has spirits hanging around, or the energy has been disturbed in some way. If a loved one has passed on recently and a crow is cawing at the window, it may be that the crow is sensing their energy. You can get a medium or psychic to do an energy clearing on your home if you suspect this to be the case. 

If you want a crow to stop cawing at your window, many people report putting photos of cats or owls to scare them away. You can also put up window blockers to prevent them from seeing their reflection. 

I would be careful not to shoo them away in a threatening or violent way. Crows have a good memory and hold grudges. They can communicate to their other flock mates that you are a danger, as well as pass that information down to their young. Generations of crows down the road, you may still get dive-bombed by crows. 

Summary

Crows cawing can bring up emotions that range from fear to curiosity to delight. Pay attention to the emotions that you feel when you hear a crow cawing, as this can give you the biggest clue as to what the message that the crow is sending to you. 

Whether a crow is cawing at you for a spiritual reason or not, these birds do have a special relationship to humans, and it can make you feel connected to nature to sit still and listen to what they have to say. 

Like everything on this site and on the internet, use your own intuition when deciding what spiritual messages resonate with you, as everyone has their own unique spiritual language. This is one interpretation of the meaning of a crow cawing based on my own research and personal experience, but sit still and listen to what a crow cawing means to you. 

More Here:

Spirit of Crow

Crow Medicine

Birth Totem - Raven or Crow

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