Corvus brachyrhynchos

No one can be oblivious to its presence
for this is a large bird, tending to
represent as a very social creature
often needful of the presence of its
clan, and ofttimes a 'murder of crows'
in its overwhelming numbers and
crackling expression turns heads,
inspiring in some fear and revulsion.
It has a tendency to aggression in the
presence of owls, but yet small birds
impassioned by their rejection of
predator prowling among their young
are known to pursue and threaten its well
being. It sits on trees in the forest or
roofs and light standards in urban settings
hunched and brooding, a sinister,
malevolent figure, claim those
ignorant of its keen intelligence,
memory and ability to recall the
characteristics, physical and behavioural
of those who abuse it, even to
disseminating that information to
others of its species. It is possible to
engage and establish amicable relations
with the crow; it will know, as it does for
me, where I live, following the path 
I take in the forest, distributing wildlife
delicacies of which it too is fond. And
when I see it of a morning on my porch,
nonchalantly extracting nuts from their
pods I know which of us creatures nature
has best equipped to endure her histrionics.