American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Summary
American crows are extremely intelligent and social animals. They are capable of using tools and have been shown to not only recognize human faces (particularly when associated with a negative experience), but to remember those faces for years and to teach other crows to avoid those humans with which they’ve had a negative interaction! American crows are found year-round throughout most of the U.S. including Pennsylvania, and during the breeding season extend northward into Canada.
Learn more about American crows here.
More Details
FAMILY
Corvidae (Crows and Jays)
IDENTIFICATION
American Crows are familiar, large, all-black birds. They look nearly identical to the closely related Fish Crow, which is found in much of the eastern U.S. These two species are best distinguished by their calls: American Crows give the classic, “Caw, caw!” commonly associated with crows, whereas Fish Crows give a short, nasally caw that sounds a little like someone saying, “uh-uh!”
HABITAT
American Crows are highly adaptable and are found in habitats ranging from open forests, woodlots, and marshes, to farmland and pasture, to parks, cemeteries, landfills, and urban settings.
DIET
Omnivorous. American Crows eat a very wide variety of foods, including fruits, nuts, invertebrates, small animals, eggs and nestlings, carrion, and human food scraps.
Ecosystem Connections
American crows are important for pest control, seed dispersal, and as scavengers on carcasses, which speeds up decomposition and reduces pathogens in the environment.