AL American Crow Hunting Guide

Also known as: Crow, common crow

The American crow is a large passerine bird species of the family Corvidae. It is a common bird found throughout much of North America, only absent from the tundra biome. The American crow is the New World counterpart to the carrion crow and the hooded crow of Eurasia, occupying similar ecological niches.

Habitat & Range

The American crow has a large range, extending from thePacific Oceanto theAtlantic Oceanin Canada, on the French islands ofSaint-Pierre and Miquelon, south through the United States, and into northern Mexico.[1]They have also been recorded inBermudafrom 1876 onwards.[34]The increase in trees throughout the Great Plains during the past century due to fire suppression andtree plantingfacilitated range expansions of the American crow[35]as well as range expansions of other species of birds such as thebarred owl.[36][37]The American crow inhabits virtually all types of country – from wilderness, farmland, parks, and open woodland to towns and major cities – and is absent only fromtundrahabitat.[38][39]The American crow is a permanent resident in most of the US, but most Canadian birdsmigratesome distance southward in winter.[38]Outside thenesting season, these birds often gather in large communal roosts of thousands or even millions of crows at night.[40][41]

Life History

TheAmerican crow(Corvus brachyrhynchos) is a largepasserinebirdspeciesof thefamilyCorvidae. It is a common bird found throughout much ofNorth America, only absent from thetundrabiome. The American crow is the New World counterpart to thecarrion crowand thehooded crowofEurasia, occupying similarecological niches. The American crow has all-black plumage, withiridescentfeathers. It looks similar to other all-blackcorvids. It is highly intelligent, similar to other Corvidae, and is adaptable to human environments. The American crow can be distinguished from thecommon ravenby its smaller size and a slightly less pronounced beak, and from the carrion crow by its size, as the carrion crow is larger and of a stockier build. The American crow can be difficult to distinguish from thefish crow; however, the fish crow tends to fluff its throat feathers when calling. The American crow is anomnivore, feeding on insects, seeds,nuts, andpreyingon small animals. It also rarely feeds oncarrion, leading to associations with death, thieves, and bad luck in some cultures; however, inNative Americanand someGaeliccultures, crows are considered good luck due to their intelligence. The American crow is common, widespread, and susceptible to theWest Nile virus, making it a usefulbioindicatorfor tracking the virus's spread. Direct transmission of thevirusfrom crows to humans is impossible. According toBirdLife International, there are 31 million American crows as of 2012. The American crow is a large, distinctive bird withiridescentblack feathers all over. Its legs, feet, and bill are also black. They measure 40–53 cm (16–21 in) in length, of which the tail makes up about 40%. Thewing chordis 24.5 to 33 cm (9.6 to 13.0 in), with the wingspan ranging from 85 to 100 cm (33 to 39 in). Thebilllength can be from 3 to 5.5 cm (1.2 to 2.2 in), varying strongly according to location. Thetarsusis 5.5 to 6.5 cm (2.2 to 2.6 in) and thetailis 13.5 to 19 cm (5.3 to 7.5 in).[7]The body mass can vary from 316 to 620 g (11.1 to 21.9 oz). Males tend to be larger than females.[15][16] The most usual call is a loud, short, and rapidcaaw-caaw-caaw. Usually, the birds thrust their heads up and down as they utter this call. American crows can also produce a wide variety of sounds and sometimes mimic noises made by other animals, including other birds, such as barred owls.[17] Visual differentiation from thefish crow(C. ossifragus) is extremely difficult and often inaccurate. Nonetheless, differences apart from size do exist. Fish crows tend to have more slender bills and feet. There may also be a small, sharp hook at the end of the fish crow's upper bill. Fish crows also appear as if they have shorter legs when walking. More dramatically, when calling, fish crows tend to hunch and fluff their throat feathers.[18][19][20] If seen flying at a distance from where size estimates are unreliable, the distinctly largercommon ravens(C. corax) can be distinguished by their almostlozenge-shaped tail and their larger-looking heads.[21][22]They also fluff their throat feathers when calling, similarly to fish crows.[23]Ravens also soar for extended periods, unlike crows, which rarely fly more than a few seconds without flapping their wings.[24][25] Crows have been noted to be intelligent. They have the same brain-weight-to-body ratio as humans. This has led to some studies that have identified that crows are self-aware and that young crows take time to learn from tolerant parents. While a human has aneocortex, the crow uses a different area in its brain, thepallium,[26][27]to perform similar tasks.[28][29]They can remember and identify people based on their appearance.[30][31] The average lifespan of the American crow in the wild is 7–8 years. Captive birds are known to have lived up to 30 years.[32]TheWest Nile virusis a major cause of death in crows.[33] Studying the behavior of American crows is laborious due to the difficulty in catching them, resulting in much of their behavior, including daily routine, migration, molting, survivorship, age of first breeding, nestling development, and the nature of nesting helpers, being poorly studied.[3][42] The American crow isomnivorous.[38]It will feed oninvertebratesof all types,carrion, scraps of human food, fruits,[43]nuts such aswalnutsandalmonds,seeds,eggsand nestlings, strandedfishon the shore, and variousgrains. American crows are active hunters and will prey onmice, youngrabbits,[43]frogs, and other small animals. In the winter and autumn, the diet of American crows is more dependent onnutsand acorns. Occasionally, they will visitbird feeders.[44]The American crow is one of only a few species of birds that have been observed modifying andusing toolsto obtain food.[45] Like most crows, they willscavengeatlandfills, scattering garbage in the process. Where available,corn,wheat, and other crops are a favorite food. These habits have historically caused the American crow to be considered a nuisance. However, it is suspected that the harm to crops is offset by the service the American crow provides by eatinginsectpests.[44] American crows are socially monogamouscooperative breedingbirds. Mated pairs form large families of up to 15 individuals from severalbreeding seasonsthat remain together for many years.[46]Offspring from a previous nesting season will usually remain with the family toassist in rearingnew nestlings. American crows do not reach breeding age for at least two years.[16]Most do not leave the nest to breed for four to five years.[46] The nesting season starts early, with some birds incubating eggs by early April.[16]American crows build bulky sticknests, nearly always in trees but sometimes also in large bushes and, very rarely, on the ground. They will nest in a wide variety of trees, including largeconifers, althoughoaksare most often used. Three to six eggs are laid andincubatedfor 18 days. The young are usuallyfledgedby about 36 days after hatching.[47][48]Predationprimarily occurs at the nest site, and eggs and nestlings are frequently eaten bysnakes,raccoons,ravens, anddomestic cats. Adults are less frequently predated but face potential attack fromgreat horned owls,red-tailed hawks,peregrine falcons, and both North Americaneagles.[3]They may be attacked by predators such ascoyotesorbobcatsatcarrionwhen incautious, although this is even rarer.[49][50]American crows have been shown to be more wary of disturbances in urban environments.[51]The American crow experiencesinbreeding depression, yet research indicates they maintain a preference for such behavior.[52] Egg, in the collection of theChildren's Museum of Indianapolis; A fledgling, of the Northwestern subtype; Leucisticcrow feeding its offspring

Hunting Season

Aug 11 - Mar 5. Hunting allowed on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays only during the season.

References

• Alabama — American Crow