When a crow dies, other crows gather to investigate the death and learn about potential threats. According to research published in Animal Behaviour, crows will send out warning calls when they spot a dead crow, typically attracting 5-11 additional birds that mob together for 10-20 minutes while scolding loudly[^1].

This behavior serves a critical survival purpose - the crows are actively trying to identify what killed their fellow crow and remember details to avoid the same fate. "If I were to find a dead person in the woods I might be feeling sad but I'd also be alarmed and likely looking for the cause of death to make sure I'm not next," explains crow researcher Kaeli Swift[^2].

The crows' investigation can influence their future behavior. They will avoid areas previously associated with crow deaths and can learn to recognize specific humans they saw near dead crows as threats. In experimental studies, crows continued to scold and mob people they associated with dead crows even 6 weeks later, with 38% of crow pairs maintaining this response[^3].

[^1]: Corvidresearch Blog - Why crows gather around their dead

[^2]: Corvidresearch Blog - What are crows thinking when they see death?

[^3]: World Economic Forum - Crows will investigate the deaths of other crows