Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2013 - 13

C Something to Crow About
nancy henderson

Creature
feature

These large, loud -mouThed birds sTruT Their sTuff all
winTer long in The blue ridge region.

Bird Count. Although crows often
hang out in open woods, farmlands
and sun-dappled forests, they actually
thrive around people and are frequently spotted on lawns, parking lots
and athletic fields in the Blue Ridge. In
fact, their populations have grown in
the last few decades, thanks to
humans who clear suitable places for
them to forage. Some scientists speculate that the birds are drawn to the
warmer temperatures of man-made
cities, while others believe that the
artificial light helps protect them from
owls, their main predators.
Movie Myth. Alfred Hitchcock’s
classic film “The Birds” still gives
viewers the willies, but there’s really
nothing to fear from a huge flock of
CrowCopia

Crafty
These avians are so good at figuring things out
that, when challenged with a straight piece of wire
and an out-of-reach morsel, they will bend the wire
into a food-catching hook. They’ve also been seen
placing hard-to-crack nuts on busy roads, then
retrieving them after cars crush them open.

strange but true: A crow will sometimes
stand over an anthill and allow the insects to climb
onto its feathers. Some experts speculate that this
somehow makes the bugs taste better to the crow,
while others theorize that the ants repel parasites on
the bird’s body.

Murderous
A group of crows is known by many names,
including:

istock photography

Big Brothers. Like their cousins –
jays, magpies and ravens – American
crows are showy, gregarious and talkative. They are stocky with thick
necks, stout bills, iridescent blue-black
bodies, and tail feathers that fan out
when they fly.

The determined, playful, relentless crow is known too for ignoring scarecrows.

crows. They’re just being social,
sometimes roosting in groups of millions – yes, millions! – in winter. They
rarely travel alone.
Bird Brain. Clever, mischievous and
curious, these birds learn quickly, communicate well and are masters at solving problems. Like many animals, brain
size increases with body weight, but a

Cauldron
Congress
Horde
Murder
Muster
Bug Me

nevermore
Also found in the Appalachians, though not as
abundant, ravens differ from crows in many ways:
• Common ravens are larger, with longer wings and
heavier beaks.
• A raven’s tail is tapered at the end, while a crow’s is
shorter and squarer.
• Ravens soar more than crows and often somersault
in flight.
• Unlike a crow, a raven can make all kinds of sounds,
but the most familiar is a deep croak.

crow’s is more in line with those of primates when compared to its girth.
Caw of the wild. It’s hard to mistake that raucous caw-caw for anything but the crow’s loud, clear call.
Birds of play. Crows are often
accused of stealing anything they can
carry – shiny keys, coins, even paper
and toys – but they’re probably just
having fun. The juveniles, in particular, “play” with an odd assortment of
objects, picking them up, pecking at
them, and hiding them. According to
the Smithsonian Migratory Bird
Center, they’ve even been known to
amuse themselves by deliberately
tumbling in the wind before catching
themselves, then doing it again.
Corn fed. Crows will eat just about
anything, from garbage to carrion, but
typically go for earthworms, insects,
small invertebrates, frogs, bird eggs,
seeds and fruit. They love sprouting
corn and often ignore “scarecrows”
meant to shoo them from crops. On
the flip side, they also serve as helpful
exterminators of grasshoppers and
other destructive bugs. 
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | 13

Blue Ridge Country - November/December 2013

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