1. Many. In fall, they'll congregate in the large courtyard of the college. The courtyard is empty of all trees, except one black cottonwood near the center, next to a couple playground area. Before the kids arrive, they'll cover the playground. 15 of them. Then a few scattered across the green field in small groups of 2-4. I'll see maybe 20 birds easily in those small groups along the grounds that aren't in trees. The area is lined with various other trees and plants (cottonwood, spruce, vegetation breaking down from the summer), that are not being taken into account.

During the winter, though.. I lived in a house where the property was lined with spruce trees. A commercial dumpster (for the church next door) was right next to the property... Sometimes people forgot to close the lid..... and, my roommate would feed left over vegetable scraps to the local rabbits outside.. anyways.. There would be 30-50 crows, on the rail of the stairs, covering the steps, covering the snow cover ground (pecking away near the spruce roots), all the way to the dumpster... and finding all sorts of trouble in there.

2. Yes. Black capped chickadees were fond of those trees. I'd see easily 12 of them torpedoing through the sky. Not 50.. Maybe 20.. Tree swallows, too, I've seen those in pretty large flocks. They *cover* Valdez in the early summer. I've seen plenty of flocks of ducks and geese, most recently (two weeks ago) I counted a flock of 70 mallards in the Port of Valdez.. not sure if this is asking for consideration to water fowl... but it was real neat..

I have a family that resides with us here on our farm in a deep hollow.  In the last fall or early winter, I sometimes see as many as a dozen birds, but generally no more than that in my location.

We generally do not see starlings here in the very rural area where we are (Northern Middle Tennessee), but early this fall, a flock of literally hundreds flew in, apparently intending to stay the night.  They drank from the creek, foraged for a short time on the ground, and then flew across a narrow pasture to roost in the woods on the other side while my husband and I watched from our porch, mesmerized.  We saw and heard just two of our resident crows a little higher up on the wooded hillside, clearly speaking to one another from their various positions.  It did not sound like warning or alarm calls, but we got the impression that they were unhappy about the starling invasion.  Within about 10 minutes, those TWO crows began flying into the trees where the multitudes of crows were roosting, and had them completely cleared out in no time, HUNDREDS of them!  The starlings just began to calmly fly up and away until there were literally none left in our small hollow.  It was truly fascinating to watch.

I have seen flocks of crows but not recently.  In fact, we have seen less crows last year and this year.

I miss seeing them.  I think they are very entertaining and beautiful in their own special way.  They definitely have personality.

1. No, not in my local area.

2. Yes, ducks(Redheads, Northern Pintail), Snow Geese, Tundra Swans, grackles, blackbirds. This has largely been at the coast (the North Carolina Outer Banks) in the winter.

I have seen crow families in groups of up to about 15 individuals, but I can't recall a specific instance where I've seen more (at least not on a birding trip, but I'll bet at some point I have whether I realized it or not). Other birds I've seen form large flocks include Canada Geese, Common Grackle, Brown-Headed Cowbirds, and several duck species such as Mallards, American Black Ducks, and in a few instances by the seacoast, Harlequin Ducks and Long-Tailed Ducks. As far as "neighborhood birds" I've seen American Robins and Dark-Eyed Juncos forage in large groups as well.

In the summer, we have a flock of 6 or 7 crows that hops up and down our street to forage for bugs. We live in the woods near the seacoast of NH, and we have grackles, cardinals, juncos, blackbirds, and turkeys that will often flock in our yard and street.

We live in NE Wisconsin near the Bay of Green Bay and just below the Niagara escarpment. While I haven’t seen flocks near us I do see 1 to 4 crows soaring high above the escarpment on what I assume is an updraft. It looks pleasantly lazy as they float back and forth, seemingly, without effort. They have come near to our back yard on occasion but stay in the wooded area away from the yard. Crows are three season visitors for us; none in winter.

I see and hear flocks of crows in our North Berkeley Hills neighborhoods, quite active in early morning and later in the day.  Seems like a fairly recent phenomenon, as in last 10 years developing.  I notice fewer Stellar Jays, Scrub Jays coming 'round in  our redwood tree areas.  Lots of Juncos and the California Towhees, a few Oak Titmouse. This is mid-hills area, residential with lots of redwoods and oaks.  Just up the hill near Tilden Regional Park are a much more diverse population of birds, including more of the migratory ones ( various sparrows, Spotted Towhee...)  Canada Geese stay year-round in the lagoon areas, the broad athletic fields of the schools.

1. In NW New Jersey there is quite a large group of crows at a nearby strip mall with a large dumpster next to a mcdonalds which also just so happens not to be the best at maintaining the garbage bins there.  I have been to this McDonalds (dont judge me please!!!) and have often sat at the parking lot as my kids enjoy their meals... the crows there are purely on a mission.  They organize - those up on the light post and those down near the trash sorting for good stuff.   All of these times i haven’t seen them competing for food against other birds.   Again, they seem so organized.

2.  I have seen other larger flocks of birds - mostly mallards, geese and swans and other waterfowl on the lake our summer house is on.  In NYC there tend to be the occasional flock of European starlings (if you can call them that - but there are several of them - so maybe you can) which most act like crows in my opinion.   Also in Central Park there appear to be seasonal flocks of Robins that seem to forage the newly defrosted fields for insects.  Grackles seem to be in large collaborative flocks - both in NY and NJ. My yard seems to have an annual ‘flock’ of sparrows who seem to grow up together - they are quite funny and watching the teenagers find their legs mid-summer is often amusing - but the crows by far are the most organized and collaborative...

It’s been a while since I’ve seen any crows, but I have heard a few recently. Before the virus that killed many, we had a lot of crows who dug up my garden to eat the seeds. The recovery has been slow.

Years ago there were huge flocks  of starlings, so many, they filled the sky as far as you could see. We have had flocks of red winged black birds, Canadian geese, and cedar wax wings.

We also have rafters of turkeys in the field behind our house, groups with as many as 40.

I haven't seen any foraging in my local area yet.  That was probably because I didn't realize what I was looking at.

We see in October through approximately February , different large flocks, some of different birds in our neck of the woods.

 

I’ve seen snow geese thousands of feet in air in flocks fly over (super amazing) along with sparrows and all types of black birds...starlings too here in Collierville TN .

( Shelby County , TN). I tried uploading a huge, undulating flock of birds but it didn’t work....I was sure  at time they were grackles but now I’m not sure. Large cornfield area at dusk .....it was beautiful . Like watching a  large school of  fish underwater ....

 

I’m a pretty avid bird watcher ,  Sky watcher...... I seem to see most  of any type of birds here , foraging at or close to  dusk....

 

We live on a small lake area that allows for us to witness birds of many types , water fowl, birds that hunt fish, and since we back up to a natural green grassy space , we see foragers and many ravens and crows ....it’s amazing:)

Here in Albuquerque we see huge flocks of crows in winter. They “commute” from their roosting areas in the boque forest along the Rio Grande into town each morning and return each evening. Are all of these migratory? Are some resident? How does the territorial system work with this foraging in the city to find food?

1. I live on the south end of Whidbey Island. We usually have large foraging flocks in winter. I often see them in trees on the edge of town or in fields. I am not sure what they are dining on, but I love seeing them all together. I have seen maybe 100 individuals (I am not great at estimating)

2. As far as other birds, we have a lot of mixed foraging flocks during the winter. These are usually comprised of Kinglets, Chickadees, and Juncos. We also have large flocks of Starlings, Pine Siskins, gulls, Bushtits, and of course seabirds, such as golden eyes (it is an island after all)

Something I have often wondered is how far afield the communications of crows extends. I have often heard a crow call out and another crow a hundred yards away respond and then a third, even more distant crow, respond to the second. Is it possible that this communication can travel on almost indefinitely? Say twenty or thirty miles? Or, more?

I live in Mid Coast Maine where there is a fairly large municipal dump about 4 miles from our home. In Winter, we often will see large numbers of crows headed away from the dump toward the shore. We have never found the roosting site but have seen as many as 60 crows all headed in the same direction in small groups.

We also have a family that frequents our yard looking for snacks in the compost or peanuts that I have throw out for the.

In spring we have large flocks of Grackles that show up. Some stay and nest in or yard while others move on to other nesting grounds.

I live in the Mojave Desert where we don't have crows, but we do have ravens (who love to heckle my dogs!)  And we do have lots of Gambel's quail who breed and winter in our area.  I don't have years documented, but some of what I've noticed:

The quail come to our feeder and pond year round.  They pair up in March and April, and start bringing their young to us in mid May.  Since they are precocial birds, the babies are mobile from day one and look like a walnut with legs.  The parents both guide their young with the male keeping watch for dangers while the female helps the babies feed.  Pairs may have more than one clutch in a year; the first one averages 11, but may number up to 15, and later clutches typically max out at 7 and average at about 4.  We have had as many as 32 quail at our feeders at one time.

There is no guarantee of breeding if the rain hasn't been favorable.  One dry year we only saw one pair with one baby.  That's it.

The young hang around with their parents unless the female lays another clutch of eggs.  Then we see the male with the babies, helping them find food while the female broods.  I don't know for sure, but I think the first clutch is left to fend for themselves once the second brood starts hatching, because now the parents reunite to show the new ones around.  See the picture below of one maturing family at our pond.  The male was sitting watch on top of the rock in the upper right of the picture.

In fall, everyone disperses, although pairs may stay together over winter.  I haven't seen many groups over 4 birds come to the feeders during the winter, so I'm guessing either the young left the parents' area or they didn't survive.  (Where there is prey, there will be predators.)

I have never seen any foraging flocks in my area, but now I am definitely going to be on the lookout for them. In the meantime, I must say that I was fascinated by the network analysis - I am surprised by what complex relationships crows have with one another.

1. I have seen flocks of 100+ foraging on grass fields at the back of the farm this fall, outside Orangeville, Ontario, Canada.
2. Canada Geese and Starlings both also form large flocks of 100+ birds during the fall in this area.

Yes, here in Chicago, along the lakefront, on Northerly Island we saw a huge gathering of crows who were foraging as a flock in the tall grasses and wild flowers that flourished in early October, 2020. Usually we see them in family groupings and the sight of them chatting, playing, and foraging was a delight.

I haven't observed any foraging crow flocks in our area of Western NY but have observed large flocks of other birds in the last few weeks. Starlings? Sparrows?

We live along a large creek that empties into Lake Ontario so some geese are present year around but large groups are very active spring and fall.

Bonnie

I haven't sen foraging flocks in my area. I do see other birds in flocks. like starlings, and Canada geese. Others, too, but I haven't identified them.

1.  I have not noticed a group of crows larger than about seven in my yard at one time.  I believe this to be a family, the same family that has been living behind my house for a number of years now.

2.  Yes, once a large flock of redwing black birds landed at my feeders.  I believe they were migrating.  There must have been about 40 birds in the flock.

1. Rarely--but just this morning I saw a group of ~25 cawing and agitating in the trees bordering the street on which we live. 2. Our largest flocks are common grackles--we've had more than 100 at a time swarm our backyard, often with 10-20 red-winged blackbirds and starlings and a few cowbirds mixed in.

I used to work on the tree crew for the city (Lanc. Pa).  People would call and complain about the crows roosting in a nearby tree and covering their car(s) in "waste".  It really can be pretty bad.  Anyway, we would have to hang a fake crow (upside down) in the offending tree.  This actually worked.  They would move to another area.  Am loving this course,

thanks,  Ticia