Man goes viral after training crows to snatch MAGA hats in months-long experiment

A man’s unusual form of political protest has taken the internet by storm. After months of patience, peanuts, and persistence, one crow enthusiast claims he successfully trained local crows to target MAGA hats. The project, documented online, has sparked praise, outrage, and ethical debate in equal measure.

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How did a crow-training experiment turn viral?

A Threads user named Dave, known online as “biz_dave,” has gone viral after sharing videos and photos of what he describes as a months-long experiment involving crows and MAGA hats. According to Dave, the project began as a personal exploration of animal behavior but evolved into a pointed political statement, as per a report by The Daily Star.


“This project has been going on for a little while,” Dave explained while sharing updates on social media. His posts showed how a murder of crows was gradually trained to recognize a specific feeding area before progressing toward swooping down on red hats worn by supporters of President Donald Trump.

MAGA hats, the red caps emblazoned with “Make America Great Again,” have been a political symbol since Trump’s 2016 campaign. Dave’s experiment, which he openly framed as an act of resistance, quickly caught public attention amid ongoing protests against Trump’s administration and political legacy, as per a report by The Daily Star.

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Why did Dave say centrism was ‘no longer a moral option’?

Dave was candid about the motivation behind his actions. “I tried to be centrist for a long time but I no longer believe that is a moral option,” he admitted. That shift in mindset, he said, pushed him toward what he described as a form of “absurd resistance.”

Rather than traditional protest methods, Dave chose to combine his interest in animal psychology with political commentary. Over time, his posts documenting the crows’ progress attracted widespread attention, with many users praising the creativity and others questioning the ethics behind involving wild animals, as per a report by The Daily Star.

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How were the crows trained to target red hats?

Through a series of Threads posts, Dave detailed the training process step by step. He explained that the birds were first conditioned to visit a consistent feeding location. According to him, that phase required the most patience.

“Getting the crows to come regularly to the feeding place took the longest. That was about a four month endeavor,” Dave wrote.

“Once they were coming regularly, it was only about three months to get them to the hat removal stage."

As for food, Dave offered practical advice for those curious about replicating the experiment. “The crows will eat lots of things, but I recommend sticking to peanuts, chicken scraps, mealworms, and dog kibble,” he shared, as per a report by The Daily Star.

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Were there concerns about the crows’ safety?

Questions about the birds’ well-being quickly surfaced. When asked whether the crows could get hurt, Dave acknowledged some concern but insisted he had taken precautions.

He explained that while he worried “a little,” he had taken “number of logical steps required to get from what he’s doing to that outcome to make it unlikely in his mind.” Addressing more extreme reactions, he added, “I see that as more of a possibility than a probability. I appreciate your confidence in my ability to start a revolution, but I do not share it.”

Dave also clarified what his project was not. He said he had noticed many people online were oddly fixated on the idea of birds pooping on things, but he stressed he had no interest in becoming a “poop trainer” and didn’t know how to teach such a behavior, as per a report by The Daily Star.

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How has the internet reacted to the crow experiment?

Public reaction has been sharply divided. While some viewers celebrated the creativity behind the protest, others raised serious ethical and legal concerns. On Reddit, one commenter wrote, “OK, so I love this for the people wearing those red hats, but this would absolutely not be good for the crows.”

Another added, “I really don’t like pulling wild animals into stupid human shit like this. I don’t find it ethical, especially since the risk of harm to the birds is very high. Also, suppose someone is wearing a non-MAGA hat and they get attacked?”

Some questioned the broader implications. “While the idea of a flock of crows harassing my uncle is amusing, I don't think this turns out well for anyone including the crows. Probably not legal, definitely not ethical,” one user commented, comparing it to “training a dog for combat.”

Others responded with dark humor, suggesting additional tricks or defending the concept outright. One observer remarked, “[To be fair], if crows were cognizant of human politics they'd be doing this without training anyway.”

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FAQs

Who trained the crows to remove MAGA hats?
A Threads user named Dave, known online as “biz_dave,” documented the project.

How long did the training process take?
Dave said it took about seven months in total, including feeding and hat-removal stages.