American Crow

 American Crow 

Size & Shape : A large, long-legged, thick-necked bird with a heavy, straight bill. In flight, the wings are fairly broad and rounded with the wingtip feathers spread like fingers. The short tail is rounded or squared off at the end.

Color Pattern : American Crows are all black, even the legs and bill. When crows molt, the old feathers can appear brownish or scaly compared to the glossy new feathers.

Behavior :  American Crows are very social, sometimes forming flocks in the

millions. Inquisitive and sometimes mischievous, crows are good learners and problem-solvers, often raiding garbage cans and picking over discarded food containers. They’re also aggressive and often chase away larger birds including hawks, owls and herons.

Cool Facts : American Crows congregate in large numbers in winter to sleep in communal roosts.  These roosts can be of a few hundred up to two million crows.  Some roosts have been forming in the same general area for over 100 years. 

*   Young American Crows do not breed until they are at least two years old, and most do not breed until they are four or more.  In most populations, the young help their parents raise young for a few years.  Families may include up to 15 individuals and contain young from five different years. 

*   The America Crow appears to be the biggest victim of West Nile Virus.  Crows die within one week of infection, and few seem to be able to survive exposure.  No other North American bird is dying at the same rate from disease.

*   Crows sometimes make and use tools.  Examples include a captive crow using a cup to carry water over to a bowl of dry mash and shaping a piece of wood and sticking it into a hole in a fence post in search of food.