The Cornell Lab Bird Academy › Discussion Groups › Anything but Common: The Hidden Life of the American Crow › Routes to Breeding Status
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Bird AcademyBird AcademyMost birds do not live in groups or defend territories year-round. Do you think crows have an easier or harder time getting to be a breeder than other birds? Why or why not?You must be enrolled in the course to reply to this topic.
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The size, range, and lifestyle of the crow definitely give it an easier time over certain other birds for breeding. Crows are generalists, which means they can do many different things, and survive in different environments. Crows stick with their parents and with their families, allowing them to hold territories. The territory of a crow might also be something not particularly appealing to other birds, like cities, cemeteries, or college campuses. Crows can take on the role of a breeder with more ease than other birds, and have more options available to them (inherit, move, pair-up, share).
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They seem to have more choices than alot of other species and always seem to find a home someplace. Since they can live in just about any environment and have a wide range of diet that finding a new territory shouldn't be too much of a problem. So I would think it would be easier to be a breeder.
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I would pick the term complex rather than easy to understand describe the route to becoming a breeder. The social structure and behavior leaves more options, more flexibility. As is true for many species (not only birds), an offspring who spends longer periods with the core family does not only get stronger but also acquires more skills, which may well be the route to success.
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I think they definitely have an easier time breeding. they can stay at home to grow big and strong before going out to find a mate, or you can find and join a group of crows to join with to be more competitive with land and they can share mates.
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Easier time breeding than other species. They can stay home and get stronger and wiser while at the same keeping their eye on the neighbors just in case. They can seek a new territory of their own. The can join a sibling and co-parent. They, in fact, have a Greg at deal of choice. The males may be better off from the females!
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I agree with other great answers here! It's certainly hard to see how this familial and larger communal system -- in addition to the option to establish new territory as other birds do -- wouldn't benefit up-and-coming breeders for choice as well as providing opportunities to strengthen and sharpen skills for success while they might wait for an opening.
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It may be easier for crows because they have two options. They can look for new territory and may get lucky or if not they can always go home. For other birds their only option is to look for new territory and there is not an option to be accepted back into a group.
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easier, as they have more support from their family
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none
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Easier.Because they have more choices than other birds.
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agree
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I’d say that it would be easier due to American Crows having more options available to them, in terms of territories.
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What is the average size of a crow's territory?
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varies
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All in all, I think crows have an easier time to become a breeder. Between their longevity and lack of long distance migration, they have more time and energy to breed during their lifespan.
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those attributes do help make becoming a breeder easier.
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Although crows may have to wait their turn, it may be easier due to the variety of options available to them as compared to other birds.
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this is true
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Easier, because they have many more choices than other birds.
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Easier because they have more choices than other birds.
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There are more options for them to become breeders but they need to wait longer. Also, by the time they could be breeders there is a lot of competition,
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It seems that since they have more choices than other birds, they would have an easier time. But, with the competition, and disproportionate mortality of males and females, maybe it’s not so easy.
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Easier time as more options for breeding spots.
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possibly their system, with added, options givesthem a little more success in breeding
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Easier time because they can inherit a territory rather than fighting for one
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I'm not sure what percentage of crows eventually breed compared to other birds. Crows live longer than many songbirds, so going to breeding "college" with familial support seems like an advantage. Whereas the local Chickadee only lives a few years and needs to breed in the first one.
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The system looks very complex looking at it from afar, but to crows this system provides many opportunities to breed with other crows where other birds would fail. Crows are very plentiful birds as it is, and their system likely contributes to their high numbers.
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I think that crows have an easier time breeding than other birds because they interact with each other so frequently. That gives them a higher chance to find a mate, and possibly find a nesting site with another crow.
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Crows should have a harder time because they have more structure to support. If they were only territorial for a small part of a year, then their activities the rest of the time would be simply seeking food and safety. However, they are engaged in a full time job with feeding siblings, seeking adjacent groups to join (or not) or establishing new territory. There's no time for just hanging out. So the options to be a breeder are varied, but very structured, making it more difficult to get established in a long term relationship with a mate and the crow community at large.
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As I think about it, it appears that crows have advantages and disadvantages. The female crows seem to have the most disadvantages because they ususally do not inherit a territory, only the males do. The female only gets to inherit a territory if the matriarch of the family dies. Since crows usually take three years to mature before they mate, it would seem that it is more difficult for them to find a mating partner than other birds. Yet, because crows mate with cousins and/or siblings that would appear to make the mating possibilities easier. I wonder if those crows that mate with siblings have shorter life spans and/or they more vulnerable to disease?
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