Autumn Buck sometimes feels like she’s in a Disney movie. That’s because her Border Collie Meeko recently took a liking to an injured wild crow that showed up in her brother-in-law's yard in Portland, Ore. To her surprise, the crow felt the same about Meeko, and now, as she puts it, “they’re as thick as thieves.” The pair run around together and even take naps side by side. Sometimes the crow pecks on the glass door to get Meeko to come outside and play. “I do have these moments where I can’t believe this is real,” confessed Buck. She named the crow Russell after actor Russell Crowe. Just in case the crow turns out to be female, Buck gave Russell the middle name Sheryl…….yes, after singer Sheryl Crow. Buck says her favorite thing to watch is when Meeko and Russell play catch, tossing a pinecone back and forth. The relationship began in June, when Buck got a call from her brother-in-law Casey, who happens to live next door. A large bird’s nest had fallen from an 80-foot-tall fir tree in his yard, leaving a small crow dead on the patio. Another small crow sat in a nearby rhododendron plant, trembling, staring at the dead crow, and struggling to walk. Buck hoped the crow’s mother would feed it and take it to safety, but when the mother took off, Buck and her husband Tedd made a makeshift nest of needles, twigs, branches and leaves in a basket. They hung the basket about 6 feet off the ground on a tree branch and placed the crow inside. They fed Russell wet kibble and mashed up bananas, as well as water from a hose. Every night Buck prayed the crow would survive, and it did…….thanks to 5-year-old Meeko, who chased away stray cats and stayed by Russell’s side. Despite the size difference, it wasn’t long before Meeko, who weighs 35 pounds, and Russell, who weighs about 12 ounces, became inseparable. Scientists say it’s not unusual for crows to quickly learn basic activities, as they’re considered to be among the smartest birds. In recent weeks, Russell has spent time with other crows. Buck said she wants Russell to find a crow community, but she’s hoping the crow stops by now and then to visit Meeko.
