Peggy

I live in southern Maine, and I recall reports of dead crows and jays due to WNV a few years back. The state has stopped responding to citizen reports of dead birds (it had encouraged these reports originally) because the data gathered was not useful. The state website reports the reason for this is because birds can fly and where they are found dead may not be where they contracted the disease. Sounds a little lame to me...

It seems to me that crows have an easier time because they have multiple breeding strategies and are able to stay in a relatively safe situation to build experience and strength, and to scope out the possibilities for mates as they flock and roost with neighbors. I suspect that their sheer numbers and their highly evolved intelligence are good evidence that their breeding strategy is a favorable adaptation. There is a theme throughout this course that is becoming clearer to me: crows have choices in life. They are not preprogrammed automatons ruled by instinct alone. This makes them especially fascinating to learn about!

I have also seen the Lebanon roost. I was driving on 89 on my way to Vermont at dusk one winter evening. About ten miles east of Lebanon, I began to see small streams of crows headed in the same direction. These soon became very large streams of birds until the sky in front of me was filled with them. The sun had set but the sky was still brilliant red, and the birds and bare trees were in sharp silhouette. I too was reminded of the Passenger Pigeons and how amazing the sight of their gatherings must have been. How sad that so many people associate these fascinating and intelligent birds with sinister intent! If they only knew what they were missing in not knowing the real story of these crows...

Once baby crows are able  to fly (and join a flock like the one on your lawn), they are the same size as adult crows. In fact, this is true of most birds. Birds old enough to fly have also grown to their adult size. I suspect your flocks of smaller birds are either blackbirds or grackles, or starlings, or a mix of all of the above! Regardless of species, they are amazing to watch.

I live in southern Maine, where both American Crow and Common Raven occur, though ravens are far less common and less visible where they do occur. I have both species nesting in the woods near my home. I find them very easy to distinguish both by voice and appearance in flight, though I never use size as a differentiator. Ravens tend to stay where there is much more forest cover and more mature trees. The ravens nesting near me have chosen a very tall oak deeper in the woods, but their nest is quite visible. I saw one of these adults approach the nest in mid-May carrying a baby robin. The nesting crows are right near  my house in the tops of red pines, and there seem to be several helpers assisting at the nest. When distinguishing between the two species, it is also helpful to remember that ravens are almost always alone or (during breeding season) in pairs, at least in my experience. In my many years of birding, I have never seen a group of ravens except at a carcass. As to the neighbor who complains about the crows eating baby birds, I had a neighbor say that exact thing to me. I reminded her that her free-ranging cat is FAR more likely to be killing birds than a crow.