Crow Gifts, interspecies reciprocity project, 2016-current

Crow Gifts are a collection of objects gifted to me by my crow neighbours for the provisions given to them in the Bird Park Survival Station. The project started in 2016 with a gift of a pebble from the crows for water I left for them. The project has evolved over the past decade with gifts by the crows. Many of these reveal their seasonal traditions, interest in aesthetics, and characteristics of East Vancouver, an urban area of diverse populations close to an Inlet. In the spring, the female crow may leave a twig gift signalling nest building season. A few months later, she may leave a regurgitated pellet of food signalling that her babies have hatched. A barnacle formation was left by the crows in exchange for a plate of popcorn I provided—the barnacle and popcorn sharing shape and textural features. Many gifts are human-made, such as screws, a syringe, pop can tab, ear plug, hash pipe, beach glass, pen cap, small pieces of plastic or ceramic. Some gifts have decomposed over the years because of their organic materials, such as mussel shells and regurgitated food pellets.

The Crow Gifts are displayed in a vitrine with the dates of each gift noted.