Urban Scavengers: What They Teach Us About Our Own Hunger

In the cities we call home, even the scavengers teach us lessons.

Raccoons — those black-and-grey masked night raiders of Toronto — pry open bins under the cover of darkness.

Cockatoos — brilliant white and bold — raid bins in broad daylight, sometimes even stealing children’s lunches with their nimble feet.

Legs as hands, feet as tools — these creatures adapt, survive, and thrive on what we leave behind.

And they’re not alone. Crows, gulls, foxes — even monkeys in some cities — scavenge in markets, parks, and backyards, finding their next meal in the corners we forget.

Hearing about the cockatoos in Sydney, Australia, in the news got me to reflect on the raccoons closer to home in Toronto — their behaviors, their scavenging, and the lessons they teach. It made me wonder: Are we, too, scavenging for quick fixes in places we shouldn’t?

Do we raid the world’s bins for purpose, joy, and belonging — forgetting the One who says, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry.” (John 6:35)

May we stop chasing scraps and come to His table — where grace and light are always enough. 🐾✨

#UrbanWildlife #LifeLessons #HiddenHunger #GraceOverScraps