My mother nursed a life-affirming 25-year grudge. Hard as I try, I don’t have the attention span | Zoe Williams

It turns out long-held resentments exist even in the animal kingdom. Does that mean they hold an evolutionary advantage?

The best thing that happened to me during the whole of the pandemic was a story on the internet. An Oregon resident, furloughed, saw on a daytime nature documentary that, if you fed crows, they would bring you small gifts. Curious, they tried it, and were delighted to find themselves in effective possession of a 15-strong crow family – but then things took a dark turn. The crows became an army, fiercely protective of their leader’s property. If neighbours came near, the crows would dive-bomb them. “To be clear,” the person wrote on Reddit, “they’re not aggressive 100% of the time. If just the neighbours are out [on their own porch], they are friendly, normal crows. They only get aggressive when someone gets close to me or my property.”

It’s such a lovely phrase, “friendly, normal crows”; it’s just a pity that it’s an oxymoron. Crows are the most prodigious grudge-holders – something that John Marzluff, a professor of wildlife at the University of Washington, Seattle, discovered by capturing seven of the birds while wearing an ogre mask in 2006. A full 17 years later, crows were still regularly attacking him. Even if you were to query the ethics of his original experiment, you’d have to admit that he paid a high price. How such a thing is possible when the lifespan of a crow is only 12 years is this: not only can they hold a grudge, they can also pass it on to one another. Originally, even birds that witnessed the ogre-trap attacked Marzluff, then over time they transmitted the hostility to their offspring, creating a multigenerational grudge.

Zoe Williams is a Guardian columnist

Topics

Latest in World

North Korea fires a barrage of ballistic missiles toward the sea ahead of US election
World - ABC News - 5 minutes ago
US election live updates: Harris and Trump hold duelling Pittsburgh rallies in final hours of campaigning
World - The Guardian - 15 minutes ago
Heavy rains in Barcelona disrupt rail service amid search for victims in Valencia
World - ABC News - 37 minutes ago
Russian rocket launches Iranian satellites into orbit as Moscow and Tehran expand ties
World - ABC News - 1 hour ago
Spain's king stood his ground under a mud barrage. What will the iconic moment mean for his reign?
World - ABC News - 1 hour ago

My mother nursed a life-affirming 25-year grudge. Hard as I try, I don’t have the attention span | Zoe Williams

Topics

Related

‘I don’t trust my financial guy.’ I’m 67 and trying to live on $2.2K-a-month Social Security. I have $500K with an adviser, who charges 2%, but last year the return was 26%. What’s my move?

I followed Trump and Joe Rogan into the manosphere – and it was not pretty | Zoe Williams

‘I don’t want to stop her from moving on with her life’: If I die first, how do I make sure that my second wife doesn’t disinherit my children?

Xabi Alonso: ‘It feels special to be back in Liverpool but it’s a big challenge’

Tommy Robinson’s book went to No 1 on Amazon. This is what I learned from the reviews | Zoe Williams

‘I say bye to my kids, in case we don’t wake up’ – A year in Gaza under attack by Israel

Uber ate my money, but it won’t listen when I try to complain

I’m 63, retired and getting $45,000 per year. But I only have about $200,000 in my IRA and still have a mortgage. What’s my move?

More from The Guardian

US election live updates: Harris and Trump hold duelling Pittsburgh rallies in final hours of campaigning

Polls on US House and Senate races paint a worrying picture for Democrats

Trump’s lead over Harris in betting market erodes as platforms tighten odds

When do polls close on election day, Tuesday, 5 November 2024?

Israel braces for another Iranian attack after threats from leaders in Tehran

Latest in World

North Korea fires a barrage of ballistic missiles toward the sea ahead of US election

US election live updates: Harris and Trump hold duelling Pittsburgh rallies in final hours of campaigning

Heavy rains in Barcelona disrupt rail service amid search for victims in Valencia

Russian rocket launches Iranian satellites into orbit as Moscow and Tehran expand ties

Spain's king stood his ground under a mud barrage. What will the iconic moment mean for his reign?