Last updated on May 27th, 2022 at 01:45 am
The American Crow is a fascinating bird with many facets and unique characteristics. There are plenty of new things to learn about this bird, even for the experienced birder.
Here are 10 things you didn’t know about the American Crow:
1. Do American Crows Live in Colonies?
American Crows are highly social birds and share territory with their entire extended families.
Not only that, but they also gather together in quite large colonies during winter months to roost.
Crow congregations are usually at least several hundred crows strong and can include as many as two million crows.
You can find crow colonies in agricultural fields and garbage dumps.
Often, crow colonies have sentries who remain alert while other birds are feeding to keep them safe.
That way, the birds can focus on eating while remaining safe from predators.
American Crow colonies are often considered a nuisance to people because of the noise and mess they make.
In turn, some people have attempted to exterminate them with dynamite and other methods.
However, crows continue to thrive despite efforts to get rid of their colonies.
2. Do American Crows Steal Food from Other Animals?
American Crows are known for their craftiness when it comes to finding food.
Carrion is a popular choice for crows, but they have a hard time tearing through flesh if it hasn’t been torn through by another animal or started to decay already.
Crows will often follow other animals and distract them from stealing their food.
For example, crows have been seen distracting river otters taking away their fish or following ducks to catch the minnows they’re after.
They will also eat pet food if it’s left outside, so be sure to put away any dog or cat food rather than leaving it in plain sight outside.
3. Do American Crows Stay with Their Parents for Life?
American Crows don’t stay with their parents for life, but they may stay for several years even after they’ve grown old enough to live independently.
The older crows will help the parents care for younger crows by carrying food to the nest.
These helpers play a crucial role in the upbringing of new crows.
4. Will Climate Change Impact American Crows?
American Crows will be impacted by climate change in several different ways. One, heat waves in the spring will make it difficult for young birds to survive.
And two, wildfires will destroy habitat and keep it from recovering.
Over time, crows will be forced to move northward to survive. There will be fewer crows in the southern U.S. and more in northern Canada one day.
American Crow populations are unlikely to diminish even with these changes.
Rather, BirdLife International has shown that their population size has grown by about 20% every decade for the last 40 years.
5. Can American Crows Use Tools?
American Crows can use tools, and because of this, they’re considered highly intelligent. Some scientists consider them to be as intelligent as chimpanzees.
For example, crows have been seen ripping off a small piece of wood from a fencepost and using it to spear prey.
They’ve also been seen using a cup to carry water into a bowl of dry food to moisten it in preparation for eating.
American Crows are also clever in other ways, like dropping nuts from high in the air onto hard surfaces to break them open.
6. Do American Crows Have Funerals?
American Crows have funerals when they find a member of their flock dead, which helps them identify and respond to potential threats.
Typically, this looks like one or more birds calling out and other birds flocking around in response then joining in.
Once the funeral is over, the crows will typically avoid the area.
7. How Long Does the American Crow Live?
The American Crow can live a long time in captivity. The oldest American Crow in recorded history lived to the age of 59 years, a bird named Tata in New York.
In the wild, most American Crows live just six to ten years on average, with a 50% mortality rate during their first year of life.
8. Why Is a Group of American Crows Called a Murder?
There are several possible explanations for why a group of American Crows is known as a murder.
One line of reasoning is related to the behavior of crows when one of their flock members dies.
Another is related to the way crows are associated with death, which is because they eat carrion and gather in battlefields and cemeteries.
9. Why Are American Crows Associated with the West Nile Virus?
American Crows are associated with the West Nile Virus because they die quickly once they’re infected.
Because of that, the death of crows can be used as an early indicator of the presence of the West Nile Virus in an area.
At one point, the West Nile Virus killed as many as 45% of American Crows. However, the species has remained resilient since.
10. How Many Different Calls Does an American Crow Have?
The American Crow has over 250 distinct calls, each with a different meaning.
They can use these different calls to communicate with crows within their flocks and even with crows that they’re not related to.
Among these calls are distress calls, which other birds recognize and are drawn to.
When crows hear another crow’s distress call, they’ll come to the rescue.
American Crows can also cheer, taunt, or threaten, all with different variations of the “caw” sound. Additionally, they can imitate the sound of other animals.