General Corvine Information
Crows belong to the family Corvidae. Crows are believed to be the most intelligent of all birds. There is very little wonder why they have been revered and worshipped over the centuries.
Physical characteristics
Size -The American Crow, Corvus brachyrynchos, when fully grown is 17" to 21" (from tip of bill to tip of tail). Weight when fully grown; approximately one pound.
Differentiation of sexes -There is no way to tell by physical appearance alone, as to whether a crow is male or female. DNA testing of blood will indicate sex. Close study of crows in their daily life, especially during nesting season may provide a clue as to sex, however, this is not something that many people will be able to observe.
Coloration -Crows are black for a very good reason. This is for identification of their own kind. A crow can easily identify another crow in the distance, during the day, because black is very visible during the day.
However, at night, the black coloration helps to protect it from predators. Black is not easily seen during the night, when a crow is most vulnerable.Life Expectancy -Crows in the wild can live to be 10 years old +/- 2 to 3 years. However, predators and disease often shorten this by a few years.The oldest known wild American Crow was 29 1/2 years old (Dilling, 1988, Ontario Bird Banding Association Newsletter 22:2-3.) The second oldest known, however, was only 14 years, 7 months old (Clapp et. al., 1983, Journal of Field Ornithology, 54(2): 123-137).
Diet -Crows will eat just about anything. You are bound to find them feasting at fast food restaurant parking lots. They will eat bugs, worms, roadkill, mice, berries, corn, and a variety of other tasty treats. An adult crow needs 11 ounces of food each day. Many people believe that crows damage farm crops. This is not always true. Crows often eat harmful insects, benefitting farmers.
Family life -Crows are very social in nature. Interaction with their own kind is extremely important to them.Male crows will "court" their desired female. The male will fluff his feathers, strut, and fly by, in his attempts to win over the female. Once mated, crows usually mate for life. Not only will crows defend and protect their own family, but they will come to the aid of unrelated crows in need or distress. Crows are cooperative breeders. Both crow parents take turns sitting on the eggs. All family members help in the care of the brood. As nesting season arrives, the juveniles from prior years, along with their parents, will help gather nesting material. The crow mother-to-be will arrange the nesting materials into a soft comfy nest. The number of eggs in a clutch is usually 4 to 6.  Intelligence -Crows are extremely intelligent, quite possibly the most intelligent of all birds. Their tight family unit is partial evidence of this.It has been recently discovered that crows have been making use of tools in their daily activities. The following link will take you to an article about crows using tools. "Tool-Using Crows Give New Meaning to Term 'Bird Brained'" Prior to this discovery, we "intelligent" humans thought only primates had this ability. It has been said that crows have been know to be able to count. (Whether this has been scientifically determined is uncertain.) A story is usually told about three hunters going into a hunter's blind. They wait, the crows know they are in there. The crows do not move into shooting range. Two hunters leave the blind, however the crows know that there is one more in there. When the third hunter leaves, the crows know that all are gone and resume their normal activity. Whether or not this is true, I do not know. I have read it often enough that I am sure that someone has witnessed this occurrence. Or, it could just be another urban legend. Crows have extremely good memory. "A crow never forgets", especially when it comes to something to be feared, or where they placed their cache of food for later consumption. Enemies and Predators -Owls and hawks are two of the crows' enemies. Crows will often gather together and mob an offending or intruding owl or hawk.Man, at times, can also be considered an enemy of the crow. Those who hunt crows are certainly enemies. Geographic distribution -Crows are found all over the world, except for New Zealand, Antarctica, and South America.Crows have grown quite accustomed to human development. Crows are found in both the city and in the country. They now thrive on the trash we humans discard. Early morning trash can or dumpster dinings are very common. If anyone is to be blamed for the "explosion" in the crow population, it is us "lowly humans". Ravens, on the other hand, have retreated as a result of increased human development.  There are two crows which are considered endangered - the Hawaiian crow and the Mariana crow. There are currently only 14 Hawaiian crows in the wild and another 15 in captivity. "Corvine Library"
The following link will take you to the "Corvine Library". Here you will find a list of books about crows and ravens. You will also find links to information about purchasing these books online."Corvine Glossary"
The following link will take you to the "Corvine Glossary". Here you will find definitions for some very important corvine terms.Frequently Asked Questions |
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