American Crow

The American crow is a large, distinctive bird with iridescent black feathers all over. Its legs, feet, and bill are also black. They measure 40–53 cm (16–21 in) in length, of which the tail makes up about 40%. The wing chord is 24.5 to 33 cm (9.6 to 13.0 in), with the wingspan ranging from 85 to 100 cm (33 to 39 in). The bill length can be from 3 to 5.5 cm (1.2 to 2.2 in), varying strongly according to location. The tarsus is 5.5 to 6.5 cm (2.2 to 2.6 in) and the tail is 13.5 to 19 cm (5.3 to 7.5 in). The body mass can vary from 316 to 620 g (11.1 to 21.9 oz). Males tend to be larger than females. The most usual call is a loud, short, and rapid caaw-caaw-caaw. Usually, the birds thrust their heads up and down as they utter this call. American crows can also produce a wide variety of sounds and sometimes mimic noises made by other animals, including other birds, such as barred owls. Visual differentiation from the fish crow (C. ossifragus) is extremely difficult and often inaccurate. Nonetheless, differences apart from size do exist. Fish crows tend to have more slender bills and feet. There may also be a small, sharp hook at the end of the fish crow's upper bill. Fish crows also appear as if they have shorter legs when walking. …

Studying the behavior of American crows is laborious due to the difficulty in catching them, resulting in much of their behavior, including daily routine, migration, molting, survivorship, age of first breeding, nestling development, and the nature of nesting helpers, being poorly studied.

Diet. The American crow is omnivorous. It will feed on invertebrates of all types, carrion, scraps of human food, fruits, nuts such as walnuts and almonds, seeds, eggs and nestlings, stranded fish on the shore, and various grains. American crows are active hunters and will prey on mice, young rabbits, frogs, and other small animals. In the winter and autumn, the diet of American crows is more dependent on nuts and acorns. Occasionally, they will visit bird feeders. The American crow is one of only a few species of birds that have been observed modifying and using tools to obtain food. Like most crows, they will scavenge at landfills, scattering garbage in the process. Where available, corn, wheat, and other crops are a favorite food. These habits have historically caused the American crow to be considered a nuisance. However, it is suspected that the harm to crops is offset by the service the American crow provides by eating insect pests.

Reproduction. American crows are socially monogamous cooperative breeding birds. …

Crows are used as a motif in some human cultures, often associated with death, thieves, graveyards, bad luck, and other negative connotations. American crows are sometimes considered a pest, often due to their loud calls. However, in other cultures, like Native American folklore, crows are considered good luck, noted for their intelligence. Similarly, they are also seen by some neo-pagan and indigenous cultures as signs of good luck or even signs of certain gods, such as Apollo, Odin, and others. Crows are also featured in Aesop's Fables, in stories such as "The Crow and the Pitcher", and "The Fox and the Crow".