Why do people salute crows?

[Mintox]

At work the other day and a crow landed on a wire and my work mate saluted. Why?? he also said that you have to turn around if theres more than one and itf theres 3 you get rich etc right up to 7 and you get married - or something - wasnt really paying attention. Anyone know what you really meant to do and why??

[PaulYukochan]

Its because during the Boer war, a murder of crows commanded the British defence at the fort of St. Georgetown. Descendants of the troops from that battle still salute descendants of the original crow commanders. Sorry - isn't it magpies?

[Mintox]

Might be - all i know is it was a big bird that did its business and left - leaving my mate doing his thing that youre suppose to do. He did look funny though.

[Cathy]

If you see a single magpie you're supposed to salute it, or you get bad luck. I've been told, though, that if two people see the same bird at the same time that this negates any bad luck. It comes from the rhyme, as follows (there are two different versions that I know of); One for sorrow, Two for joy, Three for a girl, Four for a boy, Five for silver, Six for gold, Seven for a secret, never to be told. The other version goes One for sorrow, Two for mirth, Three for a wedding, Four for a birth, then on as the first version.

[Michellef]

One for sorrow, two for joy.... you salute a single magpie to ward off the bad luck (sorrow)