Saddleback Crows: Cockroaches of the Sky or Fun to Watch?

Do you love the thousands of cawing crows who blacken the skies near Saddleback College, or do you wish they'd fly off?

Councilman Dave Leckness praises the California native birds, but acknowledges his feelings aren't shared by all.

"My wife calls them the cockroaches of the sky, but I like them," he said. "They've done me no problems and they're kind of fun to watch."

Leckness shared his love for the black birds in the video above.

What's to love about a crow? The birds known as an ominous warning are some of the smartest in the animal kingdom, he said. They use tools to get what they want and take lessons from other crows. They also mate for life, he said.

Leckness, who represents Mission Viejo on the county vector control board, said they also warn us about West Nile Virus. The disease shows up early in crows and can warn humans of future infections. But you can't catch the disease from crows, he said.

Mission Viejo has one of the largest nesting grounds for crows in the canyons near Saddleback College. What do you think of the local birds? Tell us in the comments below.