Last updated on April 30th, 2022 at 12:42 am
If you notice that a crow is following you, your first instinct might be to be spooked. It’s worth considering what this might mean.
When a crow follows you, it means that bad luck or death is coming your way, or just that the crow is hungry and thinks you might have food. Alternatively, the crow might be a messenger from the beyond of a loved one who’s passed, or it might be guarding its nest.
This Is What It Means When a Crow Follows You
If a crow follows you, there are multiple explanations for the behavior coming from superstition, spirituality, and biology.
You can interpret the behavior as a kind of omen, or you could simply see it as a sign that the bird has taken an interest in you as a bearer of food or potential threat.
Superstition and Spirituality
Crows are often interpreted as spiritual creatures carrying messages from the beyond, and like birds that feed on dead animals, they are also often associated with death.
Therefore, some believe that if a crow starts following you, it’s a sign that bad luck or even death is headed your way.
This is especially true if the crow follows you late at night.
A more positive take on this superstition is that the crow following you represents an ending of something, which will then be followed by a brand new beginning.
Some people consider the appearance of a single crow a message from an ancestor or deceased loved one.
In this light, what is a bad omen to some might be a consolation to others.
If crows follow you regularly, it could be a sign that you’re special or gifted in some way that the crow can recognize, according to some.
The crow may even be a spirit guide for you, in this case, an animal that you can look to for guidance.
Biology
There are multiple reasons why a crow might follow you from a biological perspective.
One reason is that the crow sees you as a potential food source, which could be the case if you’ve fed crows before or other humans have fed the crow.
Alternatively, a crow might follow you if it sees you as a threat to its nest.
For this reason, the best thing you can do if you notice a crow following you is to back away slowly.
If you act aggressive or move closer, you might irritate the crow and provoke an attack.
What Does It Mean if You Hear a Crow Cawing?
If you hear a crow cawing, it could be a sign that good or bad luck is coming your way.
Or it could simply be that the birds are communicating with each other that a predator is nearby.
There are many ways to interpret the behavior both in folklore and biology.
Folklore
In folklore, the crow’s cawing has a different meaning depending on how big the flock is.
It’s seen as bad luck when just one crow is cawing, but two, three, or four crows cawing means good health, riches, or good luck.
However, once the group is five crows strong or more, it’s again a sign of bad luck, specifically a sign that illness and death are soon to come.
Biology
There are several biological reasons why a crow or group of crows might start cawing.
They’ll often caw to scare predators away or call each other together to form a flock, which they do every night when they gather to roost.
Also, when a crow dies, the others will gather around the dead crow and caw until the rest of the flock hears and gathers.
This Is What It Means When Crows Sit on a Power Line
There are few myths about groups of crows sitting on power lines, but there are plenty of biological explanations.
For instance, power lines offer a convenient place to rest when the winds pick up.
They’re also slightly warmer than other perching locations because of the electricity running through them, making them a great choice for winter perching.
Power lines are also high up in the air, which means they’re safe places from land-dwelling predators like cats.
And the lines are also a great vantage point when scanning the ground for insects and other prey.
Crows are especially likely to spend time sitting on power lines when migrating.
Not all crows migrate, but those who do often use power lines as gathering places for the flock before heading south.
This typically happens in the late summer and early fall in the northern parts of the crow’s range.
What Does It Mean if a Crow Flies Past You?
If a crow flies past you, it might be symbolizing a part of you that you’re ignoring and should pay attention to.
Consider what negative behaviors you’re holding on to and think about what it would take to let go of these behaviors.
The crow could also be a sign of change, positive or negative.
The message might be slightly different if the crow flies over your head rather than across your path.
In this case, it might mean that you should take the high road or rise above your current predicaments or look at things from a fresh perspective.
Is It Bad Luck if a Crow Lands on Your Head?
If a crow lands on your head, it is bad luck, according to some. This is unusual, but it does happen sometimes.
Slightly more common, a crow will strike a person in the head.
This is also a bad sign from a superstitious perspective, perhaps a sign that you’re holding guilt and resentment.
From a biological perspective, a crow landing on your head is quite uncommon.
But a strike on the head is a clear indicator that you’re coming too close to the crow’s nest or are threatening it in some other way.
If this happens, you should back away and try to remain calm. That way, you’ll be less likely to sustain injuries from the crow attack.