Anything but Common: The Hidden Life of the American Crow

1. I would remind them that crows are songbirds themselves (most people don't seem to know they're passerines!) and that other animals like snakes and squirrels are more likely to be nest predators. But I also like snakes and squirrels! Life is messy and there are a lot of niches animals have evolved into. Crows are great generalists. 3. Although that map doesn't show it, ravens have recently moved into my area and are spreading into the eastern US, not just the mountains, where I used to have to travel to see them. It's been wonderful! Last January, a raven was even eating a mouse on top of a telephone poll next to my building! This June I finally found out where the neighborhood ravens live and there are at least four of them, probably a family. Sound is the easiest way to distinguish, but if they're quiet than size, gliding, diamond tails, and large bills are how I recognize the ravens. But where I live, we have tons of Fish Crows and they look very similar to American Crows. They're a bit smaller and sleeker, but it's hard to tell them apart except by voice. Fish crows have a much more nasally caw. Fish Crows seem to be more common in summer and American Crows in winter, probably due to the latter migrating to the city from colder areas.

I've seen American crows move from neighbourhood to neighbourhood in large gangs.  I'm told they all nest in one particular park in the east of the city (Burnaby, BC, Canada).

1.  I would tell my neighbor squirrels and chipmunks along with the stray cat are worse. 2.  There is a nest of crows in my neighbors big tree here in Parma, Ohio. I love to hear them in the morning.

1. Statistically, squirrels, snakes, and meso carnivores kill a lot more songbird nestlings. One of the best ways people can help songbirds is by keeping their cats indoors! 2. I've seen them pretty much everywhere! We have a lot in my area. 3. Yes, we have both. I mostly tell them apart by their voices, especially if they're near a lot of trees and I can't see them clearly. Crows are much more social and tend to be in bigger groups than ravens. 4. Lots of small animals benefit from crows mobbing and driving off raptors that would otherwise prey on them. Even my chickens probably benefit from crows driving off the occasional Cooper's hawk.

1.  There was a complaint recently on our local area’s Facebook page.  One even mentioned a crow raiding the hawks nest and killing its babies.  I just started the course so I posted the chart in this lesson.  PS The red tail hawks around here are at least twice the size of crows.  When the crows have a nest, they protect it by diving and squawking relentlessly. 2.  “My crows” protect the eucalyptus tree in my back space.  The couple have lived there for at least the last 10 years.  Each year we watch them build a nest, feed the youngster(s), invite friends over sharing the food and water  I leave out for them.   They appear to be old now.  One (Whitey) had a set of white feathers on his right side and the couple preen each other on my fence and in the tree.   I believe he got into a brawl, maybe with another crow couple because there were a few weeks that we had a group visit and it did not appear friendly.  There was a lot of diving and squawking toward my crows and  lots of feathers one day in our front yard.  The couple disappeared for a couple of months coming back in spring but with a grayish feather where the white used to be and his right foot toes were curled fist like.  They typically stopped coming for a month or two late winter but this was a much longer vacation.   I leave peanuts (unsalted) and dog kibble on my fence, so they can easily fly in to get it and the water.   (it’s been close to 100 degrees) they come at specific times.  They let me come within about 6 feet of them and hop along the fence if I get closer.  Whitey’s name is now Clubfoot. Clubfoot usually comes first while his wife? waits on the roof or in the tree until I turn away from the fence, then she flys in passing overhead…Clubfoot let’s her have first dibs on the food.  My feeding started because they would always steal the dog treat I would leave for my dog..they eventually followed us part way on our morning walk. 3.I don’t believe I’ve seen ravens. It may have been ravens that “scared” my crows away last year.  They did seem bigger but I did not know how to recognize there physical appearances. 4. I noticed more doves, finches and other smaller birds at our fence and backyard since I started feeding the crows. It seems it right after they leave.   They get the crows leftovers.

1.  What's your evidence? 2.  In many places I've lived.  Here in downtown Portland, only occasionly are they on view at around twilight - usually in snall groups but sometimes up to 20. 3. Yes - both species but I believe behavior differs and ravens are less visible here.  I could be completely wrong 4. Crows are great for cleanup, and amusement fpr humans.  Their badgering of raptors is helpful to other birds and prey.  I've seen them badger great horned owls, snowy owls, red tails, etc/

1. It's unlikely that a crow destroyed the nestlings and eggs, in fact, it is more than likely it was a snake or a squirrel. These creatures are much more likely to attack baby birds int he nest. Even other birds, including Jays, are more likely than crows to harm and eat baby birds. 2 / 3. I do not live in an area populated by crows, but I do live in an area populated by ravens. Honestly, until this lesson I had not considered that I was seeing ravens, I thought they were crows. I did grow up in an area that had crows, but did not have ravens, so I have experienced both!

1. If my neighbor was complaining I would first tell them to keep their cats inside then explain how crows are way down on the list for killing songbirds. 2. There are several just a couple blocks from my house and beyond from there, here in SW Utah.  I have not seen a nest but there are so many juniper trees around that it would be like finding a needle in a haystack!  In the winter time they are joined by the Ravens. It seems to me the American Crows are a little bigger in size than average here.  Healthy environment?   More natural foods and less human scraps? 3. I have been successful in distinguishing them most of the time but when in flight I get confused.  I'm learning that the Ravens seem to hang out in pairs and crows, well, can be murderous!  Both are fun to watch, they love to play in the wind, and I have witnessed Ravens doing barrel rolls. 4.  Lots of raptors around here are mobbed by the crows which keeps them in line :-)   I would think that might benefit smaller song birds from predation by the raptors.  The other animal that benefits is humans just for the amusement (or maybe just me).

First of all, thank you so much for creating this course. I find the American Crow fascinating and am having fun learning more about them! I love the analogy that they are party animals, as I've observed them engage in behaviors that very much reflect that. 1. I would explain that I was concerned about that too, but I researched it and it's actually not true! I would encourage them to research it themselves via the Cornell Lab website. 2. I have a crow nest in my backyard, hence I want to learn more! It's so high up in our white pine, I haven't seen it without obstruction, but I did get to witness them bringing sticks, twigs and moss up there to build it :) 3. I live only where American Crows are. I've never seen a Common Raven, but would love to! 4. Most songbirds and small mammals living in a backyard would benefit because crows are so good at alarming or mobbing when something is happening, whether it be a hawk soaring above or the neighbors removing a tree (I listened to the alarm sound for a while when that happened.)

I love hearing and observing corvids in general. They are very 'talkative'.  While I see mostly scrub jays and magpies on my daily walks, crows and ravens will show up at times.  I have not seen the tool-making, but noticed caching of food, retrieval, strategies to open acorns, and patient waiting for a hawk to leave its dinner 'table', so that a few scrabs can be picked up.

Hey All, I recently built thecrowbox.com and I have been trying to attract crows. I see them several times a week in a tree just a few houses away. I try leaving food out, at the same time, almost everyday. I leave food behind when I take my dog on walks. I have been doing this for about 2 months, but not making progress. They are really skittish. Any suggestions here? Note: Squirrels eat the food rather quickly so it isn't out long. I put some food on top of the box and some on the ground (in grass) Thanks, MK

2 - I live by a lake in North Georgia - and they are everywhere doing everything - including hopping along the side of the lake - could they be fishing? They also seem to use sentinels - there is always at least one perched on a tree overlooking the others. Looking forward to learning more!

Surprised that the predator study did not include cats feral & domestic have to believe they do more damage than deer. And it being such a contentious issue among animal lovers it would be good to document and learn more

4. I’d argue that some of the American Crows predators might benefit from large amounts of crows.  For instance, if a large amount of crows have been in an area, there would be many remnants of their flock. Clues like droppings, feathers and, if in a human-populated area, trash. Could lead a crow predator to either wait around the area to see if they’ll return or track them down to score a potential meal.

Snakes and squirrels kill more baby birds or eat the eggs I assume. I have never actually seen a crow's nest but it in my old neighbourhood they loved the highest evergreen trees it seems.I can tell them by their call and when you see a pair of Raven's they are huge around us and rarely appear. Crows are always communicating with each other and I am pretty sure animals and other birds learn their calls generally as danger or hey party, there is lots for everybody here.

1. Akshually crows make up a relatively small percentage of nest preditation, lets go squirrel hunting

First off, this is a wonderful  course. I am so thankful to be able to take it. 1. i would explain that that is a common misconception that i had also believed, but that it was untrue. In fact, crows account for a rather small portion of egg/nestling predation 2 . i have seen american crows almost everywhere in the province of bc.  I dont know if ive seen a crows nest but ive seen and heard many fledglings 3. where i live, there are both crows and ravens. I am confident in distinguishing one from another.    I have found that crows are far more sociable with each other in large groups, and (at least the population at my nearby beach) are more inclined to come closer to humans and investigate them. 4. I think many foraging creatures would benefit from crows around as they seem to hide and stockpile enormous amounts of food! Lots of which im sure is found and consumed by other birds and animals. Crows also provide great security for other birds when hawks, eagles , or owls are around. In my experience, they landmark and swoop/scold the predators usually until the predator opts to fly away. Then the crows tend to follow them for a good distance until satisfied theyre safely away. I just love crows.

1.In fact，snakes and squirrels kill far more song birds than American crows. 4.Some American crows are also food for other predators.

1. Chipmunks, snakes, and squirrels are greater predators than crows. Crows are a very small percentage of baby bird predation. 2. back yard field looking for grubs and insects. No nests found yet. 3. Yes, northern Vermont. Yes. Ravens are sighted at higher elevations, Green Mountains. 4. Owls; nesting sites. Warnings calls, prey animals.

3.  Looking at the range map we have more ravens than crows in southern Arizona, although I have seen them here.  I saw two crows in Sedona raiding a dumpster and throwing food and paper plate around.  They were quite hilarious. 1. If I had a neighbor who was complaining a crow was eating the songbird nestlings I would point out the burrowing owls and Harris Hawks who actively raid nests to feed their babies in the spring.

3) I live in Apple Valley, the high desert of California. We have both. The main difference is that the Raven is HUGE compared to the Crow. The Ravens live in my neighborhood which is pretty rural, and the Crows seem to like being in the suburbs more. I don't know why they have a preference. The Ravens know that if they squawk at my bedroom window, I will come out and feed them cat food. When I go out running, they sometimes follow me, and I can get dive-bombed, but it is more like play (I hope.) Today I found some silver jewelry by my bedroom window, they must have stolen it from somewhere, but it's mine now. I like when babies are born. They are easier to get to know. Specific Ravens have their tree perch and corner of the Apt  Building that seems to be claimed as theirs. A couple appears to be a lot more fun-loving than the others. It is like they are class clowns. There is one that hides in his tall bush that is taller than the roof of my apartment building, and when I go to get the mail, he will sometimes scare me by popping out and squawking at me and swooping down. He is such a nut. I love ravens and crows. It's a good thing I like to get up early. But I have a pair of great horned owls that live in the tree behind where I live, which can keep me up.

Ann Arbor, Michigan has a massive amount of crows that come to roost in the evening of the cooler months.  It's quite a sight to see!  They completely fill the air.  Then, at night walking around, you just look up and see the trees are completely filled with them.  This is why I am taking this course, to learn more about these birds that are so prevalent here.  The local Audubon society, when they do bird counts, have one person to count just the crows. Ravens are not in southern Michigan, but can be easily found farther up north.

1. Squirrels and chipmunks take the majority of nestlings in the Northeast. Crows are near the bottom of the list of baby bird predators. 2. The best sighting of American Crows was with a Mass Audubon group on a cold night in February in a hospital parking lot in Springfield, MA. The crows were flying in from staging areas to roost at the edges of the parking lot where the lights gave them protection from owls. There were an estimated 7,000-10,000 crows, and I have never heard or seen anything like it! 3. There are both crows and ravens where I live in Western Massachusetts. The biggest difference I notice is the tendency for ravens to be more solitary. I rarely see them in large flocks like I do the crows. 4. Crows help to keep the insect and rodent population down, provide nests for great horned owls and merlins, are themselves prey for other animals, and help disperse seeds.

1) Chipmunks and squirrels eat more songbird nestlings than do crows, at least here in Georgia. Additionally, if you are concerned about song birds populations, make sure to take into consideration those that we impacting during migration season by leaving our lights on at night. 2) While walking in my neighborhood, I have heard and seen crows in one particular area, going on several years now. 3) Pretty sure I have never seen a raven.  Going forward I will be looking for them when I travel. 4) I do not know specifically how crows can be a benefit to other animals, but considering that the basic biology includes the concept of the "Web of Life", I am sure they must be connected to other animals in their habitat.