Yep. Speech, fire, smells, light, raucous laughter, snoring, smoke, god.

Crows aren’t anywhere near as bad as as gulls around the British Isles, however.

They scream, and scream, and scream.

Charles, I just want to say that your writing is funny as shit and I mean that in a good way. Keep it up.

I've never understood what the big deal about crows and their calls is. I'd much rather wake to cawing than to the sounds of internal combustion engines. If you're a crow, you were born with the gifts of both intelligence AND flight. That's something to crow about!

The best theory I have is that it's resentment by humans that we and our civilization can't control everything, and wildness still gets the last say.

Let's reframe the issue a bit.

Imagine a party getting underway. On one side of the room is a group of committed Marxists discussing current events, on the other a screaming murder of American crows.

Which side would fill up first?

@5 Swap the Marxists for Urbanists, and then let the contest proceed. It would be a pure toss up.

I'm not surprised. Crows are highly intelligent creatures.

@7:...said the biggest noisemaker here. Really, muffy, shave off that hideous toupee, get a flea bath and take a nap.

Damn Chuck,
You had me all excited for a moment! Imagine my disappointment when I read far enough to realize that “the thing that struck me on the second day of my two-week visit to Detroit in June” wasn’t an actual “thing” (preferably wielded by a large and angry reader).

Still holding out hope though!