Jan. 20, 2026: Early this morning I had the pleasure of joining Ottawa Morning on CBC Radio for a live, wide-ranging conversation about one of winter’s most dramatic urban wildlife spectacles: the Alta Vista crow roost.
The invitation came after producer Olivia Robinson reached out, explaining that residents in Alta Vista, and across Ottawa, had been noticing larger numbers of crows than usual, gathering at dusk, staging on rooftops and wires, and settling into neighborhood trees for the night. A recent social media post by City Councillor Marty Carr, prompted by emails from constituents, helped bring renewed attention to a phenomenon that has been quietly unfolding for years.
Why Ottawa? Why Now?
During the interview, we talked about why Ottawa, and Alta Vista in particular, makes such attractive winter real estate for crows. Mature trees, reduced predators, urban warmth, and reliable food sources combine to create ideal conditions for a seasonal communal roost. What feels sudden to people on the ground is often the result of gradual shifts in weather, food availability, and landscape conditions that concentrate birds into one area.
The Dusk and Dawn “Swarm”
We spent time unpacking what many residents are seeing each evening: waves of crows arriving from daytime foraging grounds, briefly crowding rooftops, utility lines, parking lots, and open ground before moving into roost trees. This pre-roost staging phase is noisy, dynamic, and highly social, but also short-lived. Once the birds settle in, the roost quiets dramatically.
Awe and Frustration, Both Are Valid
A key theme of the conversation was balance. For some residents, the crows are mesmerizing, a rare, living connection to nature in mid-winter. For others, the noise, droppings, and sheer scale can be frustrating, especially when the roost is right outside a front door. These reactions aren’t in conflict; they’re simply different lived experiences of the same natural event.
A Temporary Chapter
One of the most important takeaways we shared is that winter crow roosts are temporary. As days lengthen and breeding season approaches, large communal roosts naturally disperse. Many of the birds using Ottawa’s roost are migrants, and they will move on in the coming weeks.
A Privileged View of Crow Intelligence
What makes moments like this so compelling, and worthy of a morning radio conversation, is what they reveal about crows themselves: extraordinary intelligence, social coordination, collective decision-making, and adaptability. These roosts are not random gatherings; they are the result of finely tuned survival strategies playing out in full public view.
I’m grateful to Rebecca Zandbergen, Olivia Robinson and the extended team at “Ottawa Morning” for creating space for a thoughtful, nuanced discussion, one that respected community concerns while also highlighting just how remarkable this winter spectacle truly is.
If you find yourself in Ottawa at dusk this winter, look up. You may be witnessing one of the most sophisticated and awe-inspiring social behaviors in the bird world, right above your neighborhood streets!
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