I recently read the book Science Comics: Crows  Genius Birds, By Kyla Vanderklugt. It went into great depth about the PFC and the crow's lack of one. It also discussed the crow's ability to count to 6 and the part of the Crow's brain known as the Nidopallium Caudolaterale, or NCL. Crows can also see farther in depth of the Ultraviolet spectrum than humans can (humans can't see ultraviolet at all)

When I was in high school, I picked up a dead crow outside my school that I suspect had been killed by students and brought it home to skin (taxidermy was a hobby at the time). I chose a clearing near my house surrounded by alder trees and, in the middle of skinning, looked up to see maybe a dozen crows perched in the branches watching me in utter silence. It was an eerie and moving experience, and not something I would expect to see from most other species!

I have been sad this year because it seems like the old couple I have been watching for the last ten years must have died. For most of my time living where I am, there was a crow couple that lived in the tree across the street. They would sit on the power line across the street, side by side, and one would put it's head down for the other to preen,  which they dutifully did, for a few minutes and then would move farther down the power line. The preenee would then sidle down the power line to be next to the preener, put it's head down and repeat the request, which would be performed again. This ritual would go on sometimes for 15-20 minutes until the preener would fly away, with preenee following. I haven't seen them in about a year now. I miss watching them. I do feed the group during the winter. A few show up in the morning and when they see me putting out food and water they call to the rest in neighboring trees "breakfast's ready!"

1. There are a couple pairs of crows that hang out in a tree behind my house in the morning. They are paired up sometimes allopreening and other times just seeming like they're hanging out with good company. They will vocalize if others land in the tree. 2. Crows seem to be more social and hang out in pairs or groups compared to the other solitary birds I see around my yard. 3. Plant native plants to attract animals that feast on mosquitos like bats.

This helped a lot. Thanks! Crow behavior is very different from other birds. I notice that with any other random bird couples that we may have on the back porch eating birdseed, they're just kind of eating and minding they're own business or yelling at the other types of birds. Yes, I'm sure that they're all cummunicating in their own way, but crows seem to be a little easier to understand what they're thinking. Crows are usually talking more to each other and they're personalities are easier to read.

3. Using mosquito nibs in bird baths or other places where mosquito might breed.  Encourage dragonflies by giving them places to land.

WNV. Mosquitoes.  Bad news all the way around.  In an effort to decrease the spread of the virus, steps should be taken to slow the reproduction of mosquitoes.  Eliminating  standing water  and installing bat houses are two things that may help.  And for the personal protection of people, wearing long sleeved clothes and use of mosquito repellent is advised.

We can decrease the spread of West Nile by eliminating sources of life for mosquitoes— for example standing water.  I do have a bird bath in my yard but I change the water frequently and watch for mosquito larvae.

My husband and I heard several birds yesterday when we were watching the birds in our front yard, but could not actually located them.  We have not seen as many crows this summer, because of the drought?

Item 3: encourage mosquito consuming birds, bats, frogs in our area. decrease mosquito breeding areas around our homes and grounds. Straighten gutters so that water does not stand. Put vibraters in water holders or keep water moving. support mosquito studies like at U Notre dame near us by providing spots for collection devices and volunteering.

We have a family of crows that visit our backyard feeder and the interaction between them is so interesting.  There are three young (I assume siblings) and they seem like they're goofing off, poking each other, playing with each other.  Then the adult shows up, caws at them, and they follow the adult away.

So what is happening when a group of crows are picking on a certain individual? We have one here at my work that stays on his own and hides from the others. When the others are around, and making a LOT of noise, this guy runs (the best he can, he has a bad limp), gets up close to the trunk of a tree, cowers down and shivers. Does not move from there until the other crows have left the area.

I am so surprised at the extent and length of their family life.

I live in a townhouse community and crows have learn that birds build their nest under decks. They fly low or walk along fences to check for new nest or young birds. It is fascinating to see them every year patrolling the area.

3.Maybe we can avoid putting still water and be careful when around mosquitoes, if we see a crow who is sick, we can report to the nearest wildlife rehabilitation center, so other crows won't get sick while trying to help the sick individual.

My friend, who admittedly was one of the crow-haters, nevertheless recognized how smart and sociable they were. She told me a story that she once observed a crow that had died, and a number of other crows, presumably family, congregated around it in a circle as they just stared at the dead crow in silence. She figured it was a crow funeral. Has anyone heard of such a thing with birds?

I encounter groups of crows that I assume are a family primarily in two areas of the housing development where I live in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I think there are two families in 750 acres. I think of them as the north and the south families. Occasionally they meet near the middle and have a squawking and cawing good time (I may be anthropomorphizing about that).  Mostly I observe a smaller group of four or five near where I live flying through the trees or foraging on the ground. I can think of no other birds that I have observed that compare to the crows. The closest I can think of in this area would be the Canada geese. There is a breeding pair here every spring/summer. The main difference from crows is the breeding pair will not allow any other goose to come close to the juveniles to share in parenting. But then the juveniles are quickly up and about eating grass like the adults.

A family of crows visits our backyard frequently. I've noticed the crows soaking food into the bird bath (not only food they've found in the nearby park like pieces of pizza, tortillas, bread, chicken wings, but also young birds) to make it easier to tear apart and eat. I have never seen another bird doing that. Like many other birds they take sunbaths. It is an amazing sight when crows are sunbathing together (see picture).

I've noticed twice that 2 adult crows will be watching another crow- I'm guessing their baby fledge. one had its wing caught in a blackberry thorned branch. I gently removed the small crow, and it went on its merry way but 2 crows in the trees were yelling at me while I was doing it. Another time in another location I was taking my class out to the playground and it looked like a wounded crow wa in there. I knew the kids would mess with it. So I put a towel over its head and moved it practice flying elsewhere. Again, two birds in the trees were yelling at me.

This is not quite a family with more than just a pair.  However, they stayed together patiently with one of the birds preening itself (no allopreening that I had a chance to observe).

clear away all standing water outside where mosquitoes could breed

2: As someone who lives in Michigan, I often see small groups of crows together, whether it be on a walk in the park or in a parking lot. I find it extremely interesting that they have this family dynamic where they stay with their parents and siblings year after year, so much so that they often take care of each other and help protect siblings' nests. I've never seen anything truly like that in any other bird I've observed.

In my yard in the Maryland suburbs, there is a family of four crows that regularly hangs out. Until I did this lesson, I did not realize that this was actually a family, rather than unrelated members of a larger flock. I did not realize that the young stay with their parents for years, and cooperate in rearing their siblings. I also only recently learned (from All About Birds) that we have 2 species of crow here - American and Fish crow- and that the best way to tell them apart is by their calls. I think I can tell them apart, but I used the Merlin Sound ID app to verify that this family is indeed American. I have heard Fish crows in the neighborhood, as well. I was saddened when the local flocks were decimated by WNV a number of years ago. There used to be very large flocks of many hundreds, that were a joy to watch as they settled down to roost at twilight. (Although I would perhaps have been less delighted if they roosted in my yard) Nowadays I generally don't see flocks of more than a few dozen or a few score.

Make sure there is no standing water for mosquitoes to breed in.