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Last week, WW wrote about Gary Granger, a Portlander who roams the streets at night, counting the thousands of crows roosting in the trees and rooftops above downtown ("Hotseat: Gary Granger," WW, Dec. 11, 2019). An increasing number of crows have chosen to spend their winter months in Portland. And Granger, a co-founder of the volunteer group PDX Crow Roost, aims to recast Portland's hostile relationship with the bird. Here's what readers think.
Karen Lafranchise, via Facebook: "I know they're smart, but I'm not crazy about them."
Kattalinna Ellerby, via Facebook: "BEAUTIFUL intelligent creatures. They are just seeking warmth on those cold winter nights."
GerMart, via wweek.com: "I don't find crows to be a particularly pleasing creature to have around. The solution to the nighttime roosting problem is quite simple: just start shooting them with a BB gun whenever they congregate in mass numbers downtown."
Lisa M. Leslie, via Facebook: "Watching them all fly into downtown is fascinating! They are amazingly intelligent and social birds. They deserve more appreciation and protection."
Nicola, via Twitter: "They're a great alarm clock and start cawing around 5:30 am!"
Tweet Potato, in response: "Sounds great."
Saymwah, via wweek.com: "People should just leave the crows alone and worry about real problems."
Jackie Dean, via Facebook: "I saw a massacre of crows at the park by my house the other day. So much more than a murder."
Martin Boyce, via Facebook: "I left Portland in 1998, and as far as I remember, downtown Portland was ruled by the pigeon. Twenty years later, the crows rule."
Paul Gardner Allen, via wweek.com: "My own personal crow experiences in Portland are strange, unsettling, disgusting and, yeah, maybe a little wonderful."
Charity Fain, via Facebook: "I love watching them every winter. It's special. Just leave them alone!"
Jim Stinnett, via Facebook: "The city can't clean up all the crow crap fast enough. It's really bad in certain areas and really slick if you're not paying attention."
Rodney Paris, via Facebook: "Counting crows? Sounds like a long December."
