American Crow

crow: COMMON NAME: American Crow

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Corvus brachyrhynchos

DESCRIPTION:

The common crow is one of the most intelligent birds. Its complex vocal chords can vary their “caw-caw” sound to express warning, threat, taunting and cheer. They have also been known to sound out words when taught. They are charcoal black and 17-21” in length.

LIFE HISTORY:

A female crow will lay 3-7 blue-green to grey-green eggs, which are incubated by both paretns for 18 days. Hatchlings will fledge at five weeks. Crows live together in groups of 2-8 in the summer and gather in the thousands during the winter.

ECOLOGY:

American crows are found all across America except deserts, deep thickets and mountaintops. Their nests are one foot in diameter and are usually made in the tops of trees.

Opportunistic in their feeding, crows will eat mice, eggs, corn, toads, insects and carrion. They will eat their weight in food every day.

animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu, the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
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