American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos

The American crow is common across the Chesapeake region, and has a distinctive and recognizable call that can be heard right in your yard. 

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A glossy black American crow is perched in a field.
The American crow is a large, all black bird that is common across the Chesapeake region. (Photo courtesy of markdolfi/iNaturalist CC BY-NC, cropped and toned)

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Appearance

The American crow is a large, long-legged bird with a straight bill and short tail feathers. They have completely black coloring and their feathers often appear glossy. 

Feeding

American crows have a diverse diet that consists of grains, seeds, nuts, fruits, berries and many small animals such as mice, earthworms and carrion. They also eat many insects and small aquatic animals such as fish, juvenile turtles, mussels and clams. As a frequent nest predator, American crows often eat the eggs and nestlings of many species such as sparrows, robins, jays and terns. 

Predators

Predators of the American crow include large raptors such as the great horned owl as well as hawks and eagles, raccoons, foxes and cats. 

Voice

While the American crow has over 20 calls, the most common is the familiar caw-caw or caa-caa.

Reproduction and life cycle

In courtship, male crows will fluff up their body feathers as they face the female and partly spread their wings and tails while giving a short song. Once females have selected their mates, the breeding pairs will build their nests together. The female will lay clutches of 3-9 eggs which will hatch after 16-18 days. After hatching, young crows will typically fledge after 20-40 days, but often remain with the parents and help them in raising subsequent broods until they reach maturity at 2-4 years old. 

Did you know?

  • American crows congregate in large numbers during the winter to sleep in communal roosts that can be anywhere from a few hundred up to two million crows. 
  • American crows are known to feed on corn and other agricultural crops, which is why “scarecrows” were originally created.
  • Despite its occasional tendency to eat roadkill, the American crow is not considered a scavenger, and carrion is only a very small part of its diet. 

Sources and additional information

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