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American Crow

Status Common resident. Breeds. Crows can be abundant to very common throughout agricultural and coastal areas but uncommon to rare in interior wooded regions, especially in winter. They are most commonly seen in autumn. Some are resident, others show migratory tendencies, more so in some years than in others, perhaps depending upon the severity of the winter or other less obvious factors. A marked increase in numbers noted in Kings County on 5 March 1939 suggested an influx of spring migrants. A movement of 100 or more was recorded on 13 November 1981 at Petite Riviere, Lunenburg County, and 100-150 birds per day were moving through Seal Island on 10-15 October 1982.

Description Length: 43-53 cm. Adults: Entire plumage black, only slightly iridescent; underparts duller.

Breeding Nest: Composed of sticks and coarse weed stalks, lined with beard lichen, sheep's wool or the matted hair of other animals. Usually placed high up in tall trees but occasionally in lower ones; a marked preference is shown for conifers but often nests are built in deciduous trees. Construction begins as early as late March; birds were first seen carrying nesting material on 28, 27, 20 and 23 March in the years 1944-1947 respectively. Eggs: 4-7; usually 5; bluish green, thickly marked and washed with various shades of dark brown. Laying begins in the second half of April and continues well into May. An unusually located nest that contained five fresh eggs was seen on the Grand Pre meadows in Kings County on 30 April 1954, built not over 6 m up in a stunted apple tree in the open, about half a kilometre from any other tree. At a distance of 150 m or so, the bird left silently and flew out of sight; it did not reappear while I was at the nest. On 29 April 1902 a set of five fresh eggs was collected from a nest approximately 13 m up in a large spruce. In this case, both birds circled overhead, scolding vociferously.

Range Breeds across Canada from Newfoundland to British Columbia (except along the Pacific coast) and south to Florida, the Gulf Coast and California. Winters from southern Canada southward.

Remarks Few persons have anything good to say of this bird. Its common call is discordant; it is known to steal eggs and young from the nests of valuable songbirds; it plagues the farmer by pulling his newly planted corn and has been found guilty of picking holes in ripening pears and apples and of devouring cherries. Yet all of this crow's deeds are by no means "bad" as judged by human standards. He destroys innumerable meadow voles and great quantities of grasshoppers, crickets, other noxious insect pests this is what he is doing when seen on the farmer's fields in summer and fall. These beneficial activities often pass unnoticed. Crows are not given protection by law anywhere in Canada but they require none, being well able to fend for themselves despite man's hostility toward them.

It is commonly believed that our winter crows are immigrants from further north that arrive to replace our summer residents, which by then have moved south. This may be true to some extent, but at least some members of our winter population remain to breed, as established by the following incident: On 17 February 1936 one was trapped at Gaspereau, Kings County, banded and released; on 4 June 1941 the same bird was shot at its nest at Lower Canard, Kings County.

The vocal performance of this bird is more varied and meaningful than many people realize. The two notes most commonly heard are the familiar caw and what might be described as a brief rattle. This second note, most frequently heard during nesting season, is its "song" and is believed to be part of the bird's courtship behaviour. Its ability to express different emotions when it caws is apt to be underestimated. On a duck-hunting expedition on the Grand Pre meadows, I saw a pair of black ducks alight in a slough. As I stalked them, a passing crow stopped and circled overhead, giving vent to several loud, sharply enunciated caws that clearly indicated alarm. Its cry was interpreted by the ducks as a danger signal, for they immediately flushed, even though they were still well out of my range. When a crow discovers any one of the larger owls asleep in the daytime, it will begin cawing on a note that seems to indicate anger. When heard by other crows, this call gets an immediate response, for they come on rapidly beating wings from all directions to take part in mobbing their common enemy. At other times the caw seems to be given in a conversational manner.