Bothell's crows have flown the coop

Christine Clarridge

Crows line a roof and light on trees at the University of Washington Bothell. — A murder of crows. Photo: Courtesy University of Washington Bothell

Bothell's famous crows have moved to Redmond.

Why it matters: For years, up to 20,000 crows turned the University of Washington Bothell into one of the Puget Sound's biggest nightly roosts. Now they've relocated a few miles away — and researchers still aren't entirely sure why.

State of play: The birds gradually abandoned the campus over two years and now gather in Redmond, roosting in the city's Sammamish Valley Park, according to UW researcher Doug Wacker.

Wacker suspects no single factor explains the move, but says development of the Bothell campus, nearby construction, an influx of geese or even the lure of Redmond's newly restored wetland may have played roles.

😉 Or, maybe, like many in the region before them, they just moved for the schools.

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Bothell's crows have flown the coop

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