Glück the Crow – Our Founder’s Rescue Crow

In the summer of 2025, Hoppy the founder of Smokey Crow Emporium gained an unexpected — and unforgettable — mascot.

While out on a dog walk, Hoppy, came across a baby crow in serious trouble. He was being attacked by two larger crows and appeared unable to escape. On closer inspection, he seemed to have injured legs and possible abdominal damage, and was clearly not going to survive without help.

She brought him home, sought advice from RSPCA (who told her to leave him and let nature take it's course) and then a helpful local bird expert (Riverside Falconry), and set about doing everything she could to get him well.

From rescue crow to recovery

The little crow — later named Glück (meaning luck) — began his recovery in a simple box in Hoppy’s office. He was treated for parasites and worms and fed a carefully chosen diet of egg yolks, cat food, pork steak and mealworms (along with some berries and seeds). To begin with his legs wouldn't hold his body up, so he dragged himself around the box using his beak like a walking stick. Hoppy gave him a soft toy (affectionally called sh*tty kitty), which Gluck would lean himself on in order to stand. Slowly, patiently, trust was built.

As his strength improved, Glück graduated to an outdoor shelter — but this didn’t last long. A group of local magpies quickly launched what can only be described as a terror campaign, forcing a rethink. Glück was brought back indoors, this time with a large parrot cage where he could roost safely at night. Though during the day he had the free run of the house!

baby Gluck in his outside shelter

Sadly his feet were deformed and he was unable to perch. It was thought that a protein deficiency was what had probably led to his deformed toes and feet. This may explain why he had been thrown out of the nest far too soon before he was due to fledge. Hoppy managed to adapt his cage perches to be flat (rather than rounded) so he could sit comfortably...though at night as he slept he still often fell off his higher perches!

Gluck did enjoy pecking the carpet!

Office assistant, entertainer and destroyer

By day, Glück became Hoppy’s constant companion. He sat in on business calls, provided unsolicited commentary, and got up to endless mischief — earning the affectionate nickname “Glück the Destroyer” thanks to his absolute love of shredding paper.

Gluck the Destroyer's enrichment box.

Gluck on his sentry post

He had a sentry post in the window (a cat scratching post), a favourite spot on top of his cage by the open patio doors, and an enthusiasm for bathing that usually resulted in water everywhere. He played “peck and run” with Hoppy’s husband (who fondly referred to him as Goth Budgie… or occasionally that sh*t parrot), hid food and treasures, sang badly, listened to classical music, demanded 'jelly sweets' (that were actually mealworms) from Hoppy's husband and generally ruled the house. Hoppy's family dog Obi was not impressed and made himself scarce each time Gluck entered a room!

Gluck liked to sit on (and poop on) Hoppy's shoulder - on this photo he still has some of his fluffy baby feathers.

Glück and Hoppy had a daily routine which involved feeding at dawn and roosting at dusk and lots of play and enrichment in between.

A difficult but necessary goodbye

After a few months, Glück’s transformation was complete. His feathers turned fully black — sleek, silky and unmistakably crow. He was strong, alert and full of character.

That was when the RSPCA (who had been asked to advise on rescue and rehabilitation from the start) reminded Hoppy that, despite the circumstances, it is a criminal offence to keep a wild bird as a pet.

With a very heavy heart, she sought an authorised placement where Glück could continue his rehabilitation properly. Thankfully, Paws for Thought stepped in and agreed to take over his care and support his journey back towards a wild life. (The original plan had been for him to join the other birds in the rookery and release him. However, after a couple of weeks Hoppy called in to visit and was told he'd been placed with a foster rehabber who was familiar with helping rescue crows and no further details were available.)

A very sad goodbye, dropping him off at Paws for Thought

Glück’s time with Hoppy and her family was brief, chaotic, joyful and deeply meaningful. He reminded us why crows are symbols of intelligence, resilience and mischief — and ultimately it was fitting that Hoppy chose the name Smokey Crow for the new Northumberland art store in honour of a very special connection made between a human and a crow.

More gallery videos of Glück will be loaded soon