We have not seen foraging flocks in our immediate area but will be on the lookout for them this winter.
Grackles and blackbirds form large flocks in the spring and fall in our previous Midwest neighborhood. They never stayed for long though...
We have moved to a new house / town. The property has a huge front yard. We do not have dogs so a family of crows (5) have taken up residence nearby and come to the front yard every day. I love seeing them, and miss their calls. I will take notes and watch them more closely in the coming year.
1. Songbird baby predation is mostly from snakes and squirrels including chipmunks. Crows actually account for very few baby bird deaths.
2. I have a band of crows living near our large front yard, however I have not been able to find their nest yet.
3. I live in an area that only has crows, no ravens. But if I saw them side by side I could distinguish them apart.
4. Crows alert the neighborhood of predators, they eat nice and insect pest, they distribute seeds.