(Midwest, January 25, 2026) — An American resident, known online as “@biz_dave,” has trained crows to steal red “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) caps, hoping the birds will target supporters of former President Donald Trump.
A man in the Midwest is attempting to train crows to remove MAGA hats from people’s heads, believing they will associate the hats with a food reward.
- A man named @biz_dave has successfully trained crows to remove red MAGA caps.
- The training involved rewarding the crows with food when they removed the caps.
- @biz_dave says he received threats from Trump supporters after publicizing his project.
For several months, @biz_dave challenged himself to teach the crows near his home this unusual skill, documenting his progress on the social network Threads. He initially lured the birds to a platform attached to his garden fence with food, including peanuts, chicken scraps, mealworms, and dog kibble, according to his posts.
Training the Crows
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After the crows became accustomed to visiting the platform for food, @biz_dave added a red MAGA cap to the setup. He spent three months training the crows to understand that food was hidden under the hat and that they needed to remove it to access the reward. The goal, he explained, is for the crows to attempt to remove the caps from the heads of Trump voters, believing they will find food underneath.
@biz_dave, who wishes to remain anonymous, told HuffPost he began receiving threats from Trump supporters after his project gained attention. He said the idea stemmed from watching videos of crows online and recognizing their intelligence and interaction with humans.
“The crows that live nearby are very intelligent and they interact with humans. I tried to make them friendly but they weren’t interested,” he said. “So I told myself that I could teach them something funny, intelligent and which would include a form of resistance. The red cap seemed like an affordable goal so I went for it.”
“Highlight the Absurdity of MAGA”
@biz_dave hopes his project will inspire others to “find ways to highlight the absurdity of the MAGA movement.” He added, “Fascism hates protesters and humor,” expressing delight at bringing a bit of irony to “this difficult period in American history.”
It remains unclear whether the crows will repeat this behavior in real-world situations. When asked by a user on Threads if any caps had been successfully stolen, @biz_dave replied, “Nothing confirmed.”
Why It Matters
This unusual story highlights the deep political divisions within the United States and the creative, if unconventional, ways individuals are attempting to express their opposition. While the practical impact of crow-led cap theft remains to be seen, the project serves as a symbolic act of resistance and a commentary on the current political climate. The incident also underscores the potential for online activism to translate into real-world actions, however small, and the risks associated with publicly challenging politically charged ideologies.
Time.news based this report in part on reporting by HuffPost and added independent analysis and context.
