Murder of Crows Outside the Neighbor's House

I don't know what they are doing but it sounds as if they've cornered the neighborhood hawk in a cedar tree. Cacophonous is what it is. Crows, corvids in general, are interesting birds. A friend of the family had one as a pet. I was about 8-10 (can't remember) and they had raised the bird from a hatchling. He could "speak" and would follow the older son (my friend) around. We could run all over Elkins, WV and the crow would be there.

Now, as to why a group of crows is a murder I don't know. A similar group of rooks is a parliament. I think I've some reading to do.