Crows Have Funerals

In the world of crows, a funeral is held

When one of their own has met its end

They gather in large, loud gatherings

To mourn, to share, and to defend

For when a crow is found dead

It’s not just a somber sight

It triggers an instinct within them

To mob the body with all their might

But the reason for this strange behavior

Is more than just a show of sorrow

It’s about gathering information

And planning for a better tomorrow

What happened here, they seem to ask

How can we avoid this fate?

Who are we ganging up against

To prevent a similar state?

For up to six weeks, they remember

The human who was near the slain

Associating them with the death

A link that’s not easily unchained

But humans are not their greatest threat

For when a hawk is in their sight

The mobbing intensifies even more

As they prepare to stand and fight

It’s a ritual reserved for their own

This funeral of crows so grand

A testament to their tight social bonds

And their instinct to protect their land

So when you see a gathering of crows

Around a fallen member of their kind

Remember it’s not just a mourning ritual

It’s a display of their intelligent mind. ("Crows Have Funerals") by Courtney Weaver Jr.