American Crow

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Corvidae
Genus and Species: Corvus brachyrhynchos

Widespread and common, the American Crow is known by most people. American Crows are an entirely black bird. The females and males look alike and young birds look like their parents, but have less of a glossy appearance to their feathers.

Fun Facts: Birds in the Family Corvidae (called "corvids") are among the smartest birds known (probably second to birds in the parrot family). Crows mimic Barred Owls and can imitate the human voice. They have been reported to make sounds like cats, dogs, and geese. Males make lower pitched sounds compared to females when they are together.

For more fun facts and to learn how you can study crows where you live visit the Crow Count website hosted by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (opens in a new window).

Listen to the song of the American Crow from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (opens in a new window).

Range & Habitat: Crows range throughout North America. Their habitat consists of suburban areas and agricultural lands. You have probably seen them around city parks, golf courses, yards, wooded areas, cemeteries, and more.

Reproduction & Life Cycle: Crows generally breeds in rather loose colonies which can consist of hundreds of birds, building a well-constructed nest of sticks and plant fibers in a tree. Three to six eggs are laid and incubated for 18 days. The young are fledged usually by about 35 days.

Diet: Crows eat a wide variety of food; insects, spiders, worms, small birds and mammals, various grains, and discarded human food.

Conservation status: Populations slightly, but significantly increasing over last half of 20th century. Severe susceptibility to West Nile virus may cause population decreases in near future.

Rescue & Rehabilitation: Because crows are incredibly smart creatures, they very easily become habiuated to humans if not kept in a suitably wild environment with others of their species. If you find an ill, injured, or orphaned crow it is extremely important that you get it to a rehabber as soon as possible so that it can be placed with other crows.

If you find a baby crow, first try to replace it in its nest. Contrary to popular belief, a mother bird will not regect her young if they have been handled by humans. If you cannot find the nest, you may try constructing one out of a berry basket or margarine tub punched with holes. Place it in the tree and watch from a distance to see if the parents return.

Fledgling birds are juveniles which have left the nest, but stay close by on the ground for a few days while they explore their environment. During this time the parents are nearby keeping a close eye on their young and bringing them food. Although often mistaken for orphans, these birds are not abandoned and should not be removed from the wild unless you see signs of starvation or injury.

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