The American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) is an exceedingly common bird that is often overlooked. They are found only in North America.  There are several other species of crow found in the Old World such as the Carrion Crow and the Hooded Crow. These Old-World crows look very similar and fill a very similar ecological niche. 

The American Crow was one of the smartest of all birds in North America. These birds are very inquisitive and have the ability to problem solve and use tools. 

Crows have done an amazing job at adapting to people and our city and suburban environments. In fact, it wasn’t that long ago that crows were considered a rural species that were found on farms and in fields. Now they thrive in cities and suburbs all across the country. In fact, now more crows live in cities than live in the country.

Our American Crows have the ability to communicate with each other and share with each other where food sources are located. They can simply tell family members where the food is located and communicate it well enough that they can find it on their own, without being shown. This indicates a very high level of detailed communication between individuals.

These birds are omnivores, eating everything from insects, nuts, berries, meat, eggs and fish. They will take advantage of any food source they can find. They are also proficient hunters. I have witnessed crows catching bats and small birds. They cooperate to locate food or catch food, sharing what they find with the entire family.

American Crows are considered socially monogamous and cooperative breeders. This means that the young birds from the previous year stick around to help raise the young from the current year. They all work together to raise the young crows. 

Families are often as large as 15 to 20 individual birds. The younger birds stay around for about five years before striking out on their own. They usually don’t reach breeding age until two or three years of age.

So, when a small family of crows started hanging out in my backyard I was thrilled to see them. I enjoy watching them doing things like taking a snow bath or chasing the squirrels just for the fun of it. I really like the common critters that we often overlook and usually ignore like the American Crow. 

Until next time…

Stan Tekiela is an author / naturalist and wildlife photographer who travels the world to study and capture images of wildlife. He can be followed at www.Facebook.com and www.Instagram.com. He can be contacted via his website at NatureSmart.com.