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American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

Corvus brachyrhynchos

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American Crow sitting in light rain, its feathers wet

Flyin' in the Rain

June 28, 2022 Most birds are mostly waterproof. Their feathers, aided by oil from preen glands, keep them pretty watertight. So why do birds avoid flying during rainstorms? It may have more to do with the air than with the water. Rainstorms tend to occur when atmospheric pressure is low. Air in a low
American Crow in right profile, black plumage shining in sunlight, its beak open as it calls. Reeds and grasses are in the background.

Can Crows Laugh at Me?

June 20, 2022 The American Crow’s rattle call is uncommon, and researchers aren’t sure what it means. It could be a gathering call, a predator alarm, or a call between mates. But if you hear it, you might think it sounds like cackling laughter. However, no one has identified a crow noise that indicates
A Pair of crows, their heads turned toward each other, one touching the other with its beak.

T and Dart

March 16, 2022 Author Kira Jane Buxton loves crows — so much that she’s written two novels about a crow named S.T. navigating the extinction of humanity. When she was writing those books, she tried befriending the crows in her neighborhood, and wound up bonding with a pair of them. She named them T and
Imprint of bird's wings in snow where it touched down catching prey

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American Crow calling, perched on branch against clear blue sky

Spark Bird: Kira Jane Buxton's Crow Rescue

January 17, 2022 Kira Jane Buxton wrote two novels about a foul-mouthed pet crow navigating the extinction of humanity. But her love for crows began just a few years before writing the books. She found an injured crow surrounded by 60 others calling out in alarm. Though Kira was nervous, she took the crow
American Crow facing viewer, head turned to its right shoulder.

Bird Brains in a New Light

November 9, 2021 Many birds are remarkably clever. New findings help reveal how they can be so smart. In mammals, intelligence is seated in the neocortex, which has neurons arranged in layers and columns. Birds lack a neocortex and were thought to have a forebrain composed of simple clusters of neurons
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October 30, 2021 Crow experts think big communal roosts provide warmth, protection from predators, shared knowledge about food sources, and a chance to find a mate. Follow crows to their roost some autumn evening, if you can, and watch these avian acrobats wheel in for the night. Find out what’s new with
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Spark Bird: Birding from the Bus

October 21, 2021 Kelsen Caldwell drives a bus in and around Seattle for King County Metro. As a bus driver, sometimes there’s downtime if your bus is moving too fast. What do you do with all that extra time? If you’re Kelsen, you fall in love with birds.
American Crow calling while standing on a fence railing.

Spark Bird: Kaeli Swift and the Rooftop Crows

June 22, 2021 When Dr. Kaeli Swift was in college, she became obsessed with the Corvid family of birds, which includes crows, ravens and jays. She decided to study whether crows learn to recognize certain human faces as friendly. She tried putting a mask on a mannequin holding peanuts, but the crows
American Crow in closeup, it's head turned toward its left shoulder, feathers gleaming in the sun

The Crafty American Crow

March 3, 2021 Crows. Large, black, noisy. The raucous birds of the neighborhood. Some people love them; others aren't so sure. American Crows are crafty and resourceful. Crows have adapted to our modern world. For one thing, they, too have a taste for fast food. Watch for crows at your local fast food
American Crow and chips

Crows and Chips

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Crows and gulls at the shore

The Crow and the Gull

August 8, 2020 Crows and gulls are opportunists - grabbing a bite wherever, whenever, however they can. Listener Nick Woodiwiss of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, wrote to BirdNote about a funny scene between an American Crow and a Glaucous-winged Gull on the beach. It seems that crows and gulls are
American Crows mobbing a raptor

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American Crow calling at sunrise

Do Crows Sing?

May 29, 2020 It’s been said that if someone knows only three birds, one of them will be the crow. They’re common, easy to see, and even easier to hear. But crow voices are complicated. Altogether, crows may use 30 sound elements in different combinations, and one of the most intriguing is their song
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Crows at a crow funeral - illustration by Tony Angell

Crow Funeral - with Tony Angell

February 23, 2020 Tony Angell, along with Professor John Marzluff of the University of Washington, wrote the book, Gifts of the Crow: How Perception, Emotion, and Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave Like Humans. Tony says, "A crow 'funeral' is where the deceased bird is surrounded by members of the same
American Crow and Common Raven

Ravens and Crows - Who's Who?

September 3, 2019 Is that big black bird a crow or a raven? How can you tell? Ravens (seen right here) often travel in pairs, while crows (left) are seen in larger groups. Also, study the tail as the bird flies overhead. A crow's tail is shaped like a fan, while the raven's tail appears wedge-shaped or
Crow with crab

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Crows Recognize Individual Faces

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American Crows allopreening

Crows Preening

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Angry Birds

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Parking Lot Birds

April 11, 2009 You can find birds nearly everywhere. Even parking lots. Next time you're at a mall, grab a coffee, take a seat outside, and look around you. How many different species of birds can you see? Crows and gulls command the rooftops. Rock Pigeons abound. A European Starling-like this one-picks

Sights & Sounds

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