Is it legal to keep a pet crow?

In the U.S., migratory birds are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Even though crows don't always migrate, every type of crow you might find in the U.S. is included on the Department of the Interior's Federal Register of Migratory Birds. This means that it is illegal to take, possess, export, import, transport, sell, purchase, or trade any crow or any part of a crow (including feathers), or their eggs or nests, without a permit. It's also illegal to hunt, capture, take, or kill them without a permit in most states.

But what if I find the crow or nurse it back to health?

You are never supposed to take a crow in, no matter what. Even if you helped a crow heal from an injury or survive a storm, it is always illegal to keep a native crow, no matter how much you care about the creature. Even if you have a really good story, like; "He had been attacked by dogs so I nursed him back to health and now we're inseparable." The best thing to do if you find a crow-in-need is to call your local Wildlife Protective Services.

What happens if I break the law?

You could be charged with a felony. At the very least, you'll likely be fined and penalized. Not only that, but you'd be endangering the bird. It's unethical and unkind to take a wild bird and put it in a cage, especially since a crow would require a very large and special type of custom cage. Since you won't be able to find a vet that would treat your illegal crow, if it got sick, it would be entirely your fault.

Are crows good pets?

For many reasons, practical and moral, crows do not make good pets. People who work rehabilitating crows often compare taking care of crows to taking care of human babies. They'd need a custom cage that allowed them to stretch their wings at least, and, ideally, fly. They are extremely active and curious creatures and could get easily bored without constant interaction and innovation. That's how much time, care, and effort they require as pets. So taking a crow as a pet is like kidnapping a child, one who can't ever become independent in captivity. Not only that, but a crow might live 20 years. So you'd have a very long, difficult, expensive, full-time job tending your hostage.

Would a crow be happy as a pet?

You might try to convince yourself that you'll make a better crow family than a crow would and that your home will be more comfortable than a crow's natural habitat. But you'd be fooling yourself for selfish purposes. Crows are extremely intelligent and social creatures. Without friends and freedom, a crow is likely to get bored and depressed.

How can I get closer to crows without owning one?

You could become an accredited Wildlife Rehabilitator or volunteer at your local Wildlife Protection Services. Or, instead of trying to own and possess it, you could simply befriend the crow and let it live its natural life, in the wild, with its own crow family.

To read more about the idea of having a pet crow, read Crows as Pets: Is It Legal to Have a Pet Crow?