Ah, spring, a lovely time of year. The flowers are blooming, the sun is out, and you’ve just read our separate post on bike safety so you’re gearing up for a cycling trip to the park. But beware, murders are in the wind! Crow murders that is. First tip about crows, a group of crows is called a murder. April to July is nesting season for crows. And like human parents, they can be quite protective of their young. After hatching, baby crows will spend about a month in their nest before venturing out. Fledglings will flutter between branches and hop on the ground below to build up their flight muscles. As they are quite vulnerable during this time, their parents will protect their young by any means possible. If you hear crows cawing in a tree in the spring, avoid walking near that tree as they may very well have a nest with a baby inside. Don’t be like Alexis Watts, AC extraordinaire, who walked underneath such a tree only to be given a very memorable warning from the protective parents. If you must pass under a crow’s nest, have an umbrella handy to use as a shield if need be. Adult crows will scold, swoop, and dive-bomb humans and other animals to ward them off. Alexis was “thumped in the back of the head” by anxious crow parents. If you find yourself surrounded on all sides with towering trees, the rustling of leaves, and a cacophony of crows within the branches, you may be inclined to fall to the ground and hide until spring passes. But fear not! The Health and Safety Committee of Brock Hall has your back. Here are our handy tips on how to avoid parental attacks from murders of crows.