Photo collections of ravens and crows don’t begin to tell us their history. How do you perceive these shadowed birds? Photo collage courtesy of freshman Ray Moffitt.

  Around San Luis Obispo High School students often find birds hopping along, eating lunchtime leftovers, and seemingly not afraid of the humans that swarm them. Birds have adapted over time, in particular Ravens have created a thick feather coat to live in Northern America where they roam in thick tall forests near cities to grab bugs and bread.

  In San Luis Obispo, mainly crows find comfort in the bustling suburban setting and the best place to get a good leftover pizza crust. The true meaning behind one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

  Expressions reached out to super observant junior William Radke to ask about these common animal friends.

Expressions: Are crows ugly or cute?

Junior William Radke: Neither. I don’t think they’re cute. I think they’re magnificent creatures, like horses. They have a certain elegant beauty to them. I would not call them cute, nor are they ugly.

Expressions: Do you think crows and ravens are bad omens?

Radke: In certain cultures there’s definitely a stigma around them, that they mean bad luck. I think overall, it has to do with the fact that they have a very unmannerly position. They’re very rude animals. I think seeing them is a bad omen just that they’re gonna be mean to you.  I don’t think that they’re mythologically a bad omen. I just think that they’re [jerks].

Expressions: Do you find crows to be a nuisance on campus?

Radke: Not particularly. I think there are definitely a lot of them, and they cause a hassle for the custodian staff, who have to clean their messes. Other than that, I mean, they don’t do a lot besides run away and steal food.

  These birds are one of the many gifts nature has given us, and all humans should observe them like Radke.