Shamanic Totem Animals: The Hunted and the Hated

Just reading the excellent book, 'Caw of the Wild' , by Barb Kirpluk about her personal contact and observations with crows and where she writes about the hate, or dislike some people have for crows in her chapter titled, 'The Hunted and the Hunter'.

Barb Kirpluk's paintings

Barb points out the website 'Crow Busters' as an example, where they have all sorts of info and celebrations about culling crows including videos.

Some crow friends who befriended me
 on a road-trip earlier this year

I like crows and like to think of them as my totem spirit animal, as they seem to be my constant companions in life in the "real" world.
But I do come across people who cringe and look at me as if I'm friends with Charlie Manson when I mention that I like crows and consider them one of my spirit animals.

The Yin/Yang of the Cock and the Crow?
I understand some of the reasoning behind people's fear and dislike of crows and how they see them as being cruel and cunning animals, but if I wanted the cruelest animal on earth as my totem animal then I would have to pick a human.

'Clay Pot Sparrow', by Barb Kirpluk

Even another favourite of mine, the sparrow, is seen as a pest by hunters.

Sparrow/Self-Reliance Syncs

I saw plenty of sparrows on my walk around the streets of Melbourne and it was plain to see they were becoming a pest with one Hungry Jack's store putting up nets to no avail apparently.

Would you like fries with your order sparrow?-)

Sparrows hunting around on the streets of Melbourne, Australia

I can't think of any animal on the planet, including man, that isn't hated by someone who would like to eradicate them.

Even the kangaroo is considered a pest in Australia by farmers and hunters who like to go out and shoot them and ditto for the cute little rabbits that were introduced into Australia and have gone wild.
Some Australians consider kangaroos to be pests

A Cascade of Rabbits?(click here)

I guess we all have certain animals we find magical but are considered a pest by others and my magic animal would have to be the crow.

Oddly enough, with rabbits being a major pest in my country (Australia) I was surprised to read in 'Caw of the Wild' this passage, "Conversely, evidence that Fodderwing was nesting was manifested by his intense interest in hunting baby rabbits. 
Since rabbit meat makes up the major potion of a young crow's diet, this behavior led me to believe there were Scrap youngsters to feed."
A Wonderland of Coincidence in the Book Cellar

A crow friend who befriended me
on a road-trip earlier this year