7 Ways to Channel Your Inner Crow
In the early weeks of the 2020 pandemic, as people pecked keyboards and entered COVID queries into Google, curious souls around the world furrowed their brows when their web pages loaded — wait for it — pictures of crows. And rooks. And ravens. And other corvids — birds in the corvidae family. Typos abounded, and search results for crows spiked. What a difference an “R” makes!
Indeed, crows had a moment in March, and they’ve continued to delight throughout the pandemic. A “For the Birds” column in the Santa Fe New Mexican sported the headline, “Raucous corvids bring joy in time of COVID.” (“We’re focusing today on corvids, not COVID,” columnist Anne Schmauss wrote to open the piece — clearly, she knew her readers needed respite.) Renowned painter Kerry James Marshall recently earned praise in The New York Times for his artful reimagination — with crows as centerpiece — of James Audubon’s Birds of America. (More on this later.) And in our daily lives — meaning COVID-19, work-from-home, live-at-work, and all the other curveballs of 2020 — we can mirror crows’ adaptability. So, here are seven ways to channel your inner crow and elevate your existence.
1. Think
The timeless Greek storyteller Aesop knew long ago of the crow’s intelligence: his tale of the thirsty crow that plunks pebbles into a tall pitcher to raise the water inside shows us that persistence produces solutions. Now, a millennium later, scientists have confirmed Aesop’s tale — and more. New Caledonian crows transform twigs into tools to dig for grubs, and Hawaiian crows — alalās, which survive in conservation settings — fashion sticks to rake food inside their cages. Next time you’re facing a dilemma or feeling like a birdbrain, pause and think. Assess resources at hand and channel your creativity to take action that leads to results you can use.
2. Flock
Your disposition — rather than your position — catalyzes your ability to lead, a lesson I impart to our SCAD Bees through collaborative, cross-disciplinary SCADpro design challenges. Just as crows travel to their destinations in flock flights — that favor seamless communication over positional leadership to direct flights as one — SCAD students partner with peers to win prestigious competitions. In the past three years alone, SCAD teams decisively won two Disney Imagineering Design Competitions and two Coca-Cola film contests. The secret? Our students apply power skills — communication, teamwork, storytelling — that propel them on their professional journeys. So, find your flock, resist rigid roles, and defy the wind.
3. Rally
Sometimes our journeys are fraught with obstacles that we must rally to surmount. Maybe you’ve read that crows can recognize the faces of people who intend them harm. Indeed they can, and a “decidedly theatrical” experiment — which employed rubber masks, including the visages of former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and another called “the caveman” — proved as much. Yet what’s more intriguing is that crows tell other flocks in the crow community about these threats and, in deterrence, unify in cohorts. Families of crows will even adopt orphaned fledglings, a show of empathy as well as an innate commitment to care for other birds. Their lesson for us: “Socially distanced” does not mean civically detached. Let’s invent new ways to rally, lift up neighbors in need, and exhort communities to engage collaboratively, strategically, and positively.
4. Play
Away from their watchful perches, crows take time to play — we should, too. SCAD Bee Well, SCADfit, yoga, Pilates, and mindfulness exercises remind our students that recreation revs and recharges both body and mind. And play also leads to breakthroughs. (Can crows snowboard? Who knows, but Russian crows that sled down snowy roofs on plastic lids are YouTube famous.) A study at Sweden’s Lund University found that some crows appeared to use play behavior to assess the utility of new objects, such as blocks and ropes. Disclaimer: the study found that not all crows were quick studies or conscientious learners, and the researchers said that play can be costly, in that it detracts from hunting and foraging. Still, there must be an evolutionary benefit to the activity since it is so prevalent, they said. I agree. Surely you’ve learned a thing or two on the playground.
5. Build
Not all nests are created equal. While female northern cardinals do most of the nest-building, crows share the responsibility — what’s more, the previous year’s offspring often stick around to help. Sometimes, though, people actually build nests for birds. Take SCAD alumnus Nick Baker. When MakerBot invited him to participate in the 2018 NYCxDesign Event, he produced the perfect piece of avian conservation — the Flyer Birdhouse. (Why the “Flyer?” Because it hugs wooden posts, just like a paper flyer beneath a power line in the city. Truly, an urban reimagination of the utility pole.) I give Nick bonus points for accessibility: his design plans are available to the public. Download them now! If ever there was a time to lean into family and community — and tap into innovation — it is now. Like a bird’s nest, our homes and neighborhoods are our havens.
6. Seek
Our homes are refuges, yet we still seek oases of rejuvenation. For crows, such locales take the form of tall trees, where, during winter, thousands of birds might gather to roost. In the roost, crows find warmth, protection, and new sources of sustenance — truly, holistic nourishment. During SCAD’s much-lauded 2020 spring and summer virtual quarters, we created Guests & Gusto, a digital roost where students, faculty, staff, and artistic luminaries gather for enthralling discourse and convivial socialization. As I tell our SCAD Bees, always look for places and spaces that enlighten and inspire — and if there are not any nearby, make one for yourself.
7. Act
As a muse, the crow invites artists to reimagine the work of their predecessors in meaningful manners that prompt action. Kerry James Marshall’s paintings riff on James Audubon’s work by juxtaposing the crow with cardinals and goldfinches — a commentary on the pecking order in the U.S. and the distinct experiences of white and Black Americans. Just as Marshall’s art provokes critical reflection, our SCAD Listening Series — the university’s 10-episode dialogue collection that elevates inclusivity through creativity — provides a platform for sharing perspectives and valuable conversation. During a most tumultuous time, as we yearn for both change and a return to normalcy, let us look to the crow, the decidedly complex creature that embodies creativity, collaboration, and community. From art to nature, the crow’s myriad messages resonate. Let’s listen.
For more, check out this interview with Paula Wallace: https://www.southernliving.com/culture/paula-wallace-savannah-college-of-art-and-design
