CC BY-SA 3.0 · DickDaniels · source
Quick Facts
- Type
- Bird
- Size
- 40–53 cm body length
- Weight
- 316–620 g
- Habitat
- Forests, farmland, coastal shores, and urban areas across North America
- Diet
- Omnivore — seeds, berries, invertebrates, carrion, small vertebrates, and garbage
- Active Time
- Diurnal
- Lifespan
- 7–8 years in the wild, up to 14 years
Field Notes
- American crows recognise and remember individual human faces, and can warn family members about specific 'dangerous humans' they have never met.
- They have been observed fashioning hook-shaped twigs as tools to extract insects from crevices — one of very few non-primate tool users.
- Crows gather around dead crows in 'funeral' assemblies, apparently assessing the danger that killed the individual rather than grieving.
About the American Crow
The American crow is one of the most intelligent birds in the world, demonstrated to use tools, solve multi-step puzzles, and remember individual human faces for years. Crows live in complex social groups with extended family units that cooperate in raising young — a behaviour called cooperative breeding. They are highly opportunistic omnivores that thrive in virtually every North American habitat from wilderness to city centre. Crows hold 'funerals', gathering around dead individuals in apparent assessment of danger. Juvenile crows that have been chased off may wait years before returning to reclaim territory.
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