Portland spent the summer getting attached to thirty giant painted crows. Which, when you think about it, was probably inevitable. Put a nearly five-foot bird on an ordinary corner in this city, give it an extravagant paint job, and see how long it takes before somebody decides it's part of the neighborhood.
Turns out, some people went further than taking pictures. They left the crows presents.
Sydney Mead of Downtown Portland Clean & Safe told PNW Passport that visitors were leaving buttons, photographs, feathers and shiny stones near the sculptures. I have so many questions, starting with who wakes up and decides a painted crow could use a little gift. But mostly, I think it's wonderful.
A flock of enormous neighborhood oddballs.
These thirty one-of-a-kind crows were created by local artists for Wildwood: Follow the Crows, a public art trail inspired by LAIKA's animated film Wildwood. The trail launched in August and scattered the birds across Portland. You could go looking with the official map, or simply turn a corner on your way to coffee and discover a gigantic bird staring back at you.
One of them is The Shape of Us, the intricate blue crow by artist Tristan “TK” Irving pictured above. Another, the black-and-gold Ravel, was created by Reshidev RK. Monice Wong of the Portland Metro Chamber gave us the artist credits and cleared original photographs from the project's press pool for this report. These aren't anonymous decorations. They're individual pieces of Portland artwork.
The birds spent their last public days together at Darcelle XV Plaza on October 31 and November 1. That farewell already happened. Please don't follow an old summer map expecting all thirty to be waiting patiently outside their original spots. They're preparing for their next lives.
On November 15, Portland's giant crows go under the hammer.
The OHSU Foundation is holding the crow sculpture auction at Lewis & Clark College on Sunday, November 15, 2026. Its in-person event is sold out, so the practical way for people who haven't already secured a place to participate is online bidding.
Online bidding is already open at the official Wildwood auction catalog. You register, provide a valid credit card and choose the crow you'd like to bid on. The organizers suggest setting a maximum bid so the system can bid on your behalf within your limit. If you win, remember that shipping and delivery are additional responsibilities and costs; they're not included in a winning bid.
The foundation says the in-person program begins at 6 p.m., with talks and video before live sculpture bidding around 6:45 p.m. A basic livestream is planned if you simply want to watch. Check the foundation's latest instructions on the day for the final schedule and webcast link.
The auction supports OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital and the children and families who rely on it. This is why I want the crows to find good homes—not just because Portland will miss them, but because the art trail has a purpose that continues after the last sculpture leaves town.
What a painted bird can leave behind.
I keep coming back to the little gifts. It's a very Portland thing to take something unusual, give it a personality, and find ways to love it out loud. We didn't just get thirty pieces of public art. We got thirty tiny excuses to notice the streets, the artists and one another.
And now someone can bring a crow home. I hope whoever wins one knows about the button, the photograph or the shiny rock somebody once left beside a bird that would never pick it up. That little gesture was part of the art, too.
Just please measure your doorway first.
How to watch or bid on Portland's giant crows
What: Wildwood: Follow the Crows benefit auction, Sunday, November 15, 2026, hosted by OHSU Foundation. The in-person event at Lewis & Clark College is sold out.
Online: Register, view the crow catalog and bid online. Online bidding is meant for people not attending in person. Read the buyer terms, fees and shipping conditions before placing a bid.
Watch: OHSU Foundation's official auction information will have the latest program and livestream guidance. No general-admission tickets remain for the in-person gathering.
Sources: Original October 2026 correspondence with Sydney Mead (Downtown Portland Clean & Safe) and Monice Wong (Portland Metro Chamber); Wildwood official trail and partners; OHSU Foundation auction guidance; official auction and terms. Credit: The Shape of Us by Tristan “TK” Irving; original editorial press photos supplied and explicitly cleared by the Portland Metro Chamber / Downtown Portland Clean & Safe. We have not attended or reported from the auction.
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