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You watch crows. You have questions. I have answers. A thread of crow FAQs for your reading pleasure
1) How can you sex crows?
A) You can’t. Males tend to skew larger, but it’s pretty hard to visually gauge. Best bet is to wait until the breeding season and see who is most often sitting on the nest. That’s the female.
A) You can’t. Males tend to skew larger, but it’s pretty hard to visually gauge. Best bet is to wait until the breeding season and see who is most often sitting on the nest. That’s the female.
2) How long do crows live?
A) The oldest wild crow was 29. 14-17 is not uncommon. When they’re young, survivorship is about 50%
A) The oldest wild crow was 29. 14-17 is not uncommon. When they’re young, survivorship is about 50%
3) Do crows mate for life?
A) Yes, once they pair up, with rare exception, they remain paired up for life. That doesn’t mean though that they’re entirely monogamous-like most birds they’re not. Birds don’t share our puritanical obsession with monogamy
A) Yes, once they pair up, with rare exception, they remain paired up for life. That doesn’t mean though that they’re entirely monogamous-like most birds they’re not. Birds don’t share our puritanical obsession with monogamy
4) If their mates dies/disappears, will they re-mate?
A) Yes, they will try and find a new mate before the next breeding season.
A) Yes, they will try and find a new mate before the next breeding season.
5) Are crows and ravens different?
A) Yes. There are many different species of crows and ravens. Distinguishing common ravens and American crows is best done by tail shape and throat feathers. Comic by @RosemaryMosco.
For more tips see: https://corvidresearch.blog/2020/04/16/the-definitive-guide-for-distinguishing-american-crows-common-ravens/
A) Yes. There are many different species of crows and ravens. Distinguishing common ravens and American crows is best done by tail shape and throat feathers. Comic by @RosemaryMosco.
For more tips see: https://corvidresearch.blog/2020/04/16/the-definitive-guide-for-distinguishing-american-crows-common-ravens/
6) A crow just made ______ sound, what does it mean?
A) I probably couldn’t tell you. Crows make dozens of different sounds and we’ve only been able to ascribe meaning to a small subset. But don’t be surprised if you hear meows, water drops, or wow sounds from a crow.
A) I probably couldn’t tell you. Crows make dozens of different sounds and we’ve only been able to ascribe meaning to a small subset. But don’t be surprised if you hear meows, water drops, or wow sounds from a crow.
7) Why do they leave stuff in my bird bath?
A) Crows like to soak food in water both to make it softer and to add moisture. Bird baths are perfect for this task. This can get very messy, but you need to clean your bird bath daily anyway.
A) Crows like to soak food in water both to make it softer and to add moisture. Bird baths are perfect for this task. This can get very messy, but you need to clean your bird bath daily anyway.
8) How can I make friends with crows?
A) Feed them. High fat/protein foods (nuts, pet kibble) are ideal. Limit feeding to a local pair and no more than a handful of food a day. Overdoing it can cause a host of problems, mostly for your other human and wildlife neighbors.
A) Feed them. High fat/protein foods (nuts, pet kibble) are ideal. Limit feeding to a local pair and no more than a handful of food a day. Overdoing it can cause a host of problems, mostly for your other human and wildlife neighbors.
9) Is it true they bring people gifts?
A) Yes. Well kind of. It’s true they sometimes leave things (keys, bones, screws, beads) in places where they’re regularly fed. Whether this is a gesture of gratitude, an accident, or plain manipulation is anyone’s guess though.
A) Yes. Well kind of. It’s true they sometimes leave things (keys, bones, screws, beads) in places where they’re regularly fed. Whether this is a gesture of gratitude, an accident, or plain manipulation is anyone’s guess though.
10) Can crows recognize faces?
A) Yup. If you make an impression on a crow (a positive or negative one) they will learn your face and other features too.
A) Yup. If you make an impression on a crow (a positive or negative one) they will learn your face and other features too.
11) Is it true they tell one another about specific people?
A) They certainly learn about people from one another, but by watching crows respond to specific people in real time, and probably not by communicating descriptions of people after the fact.
A) They certainly learn about people from one another, but by watching crows respond to specific people in real time, and probably not by communicating descriptions of people after the fact.
12) Is a group of crows really called a murder?
A) A murder really is the colloquial name for a group of crows. But just like, “flamboyance of flamingo”, you wouldn’t see a scientist like myself using colloquial terms in professional settings. I just call a group a flock.
A) A murder really is the colloquial name for a group of crows. But just like, “flamboyance of flamingo”, you wouldn’t see a scientist like myself using colloquial terms in professional settings. I just call a group a flock.
13) Is it true crows are smart?
A) 100%. Crows have a larger brain than is predicted for their size, and are capable of a lot of the same advanced cognitive skills as many primates.
A) 100%. Crows have a larger brain than is predicted for their size, and are capable of a lot of the same advanced cognitive skills as many primates.
14) Can you keep crows as pets?
A) It’s not legal to keep native crows or ravens as pets in the US without special permits.
A) It’s not legal to keep native crows or ravens as pets in the US without special permits.
15) I want to learn more about crows. What books do you recommend?
A) Find my picks here: https://corvidresearch.blog/2015/04/17/best-books-for-corvid-lovers/
A) Find my picks here: https://corvidresearch.blog/2015/04/17/best-books-for-corvid-lovers/
Let me know if you have other questions!
