Laura Dean Bennett
Staff Writer
Out here in the country, crows are a regular part of the scenery.
We’re used to hearing the raucous “caw, caw,” as crows gather in groups to glean corn fields or fly in to feed on carrion.
We see them occasionally – soaring across farms and striding along the roads; sometimes seeming to stare at us as they perch on fence posts.
But as summer gives way to fall, we seem to see them more often, in larger numbers, and their calls seem louder and more insistent.
It’s not your imagination. We really do see more crows in the fall.
Crows are part of the group of birds called Corvids, which include crows, ravens, jays and magpies.
There are more than 40 varieties of crows. They’re native in many parts of the world.
The crow we most often see here is the American Crow.
Like our American Crow, most crows’ plumage is a shiny black (or shades of black), but a few may have some white or another color.
There are rare instances of genetic abnormalities which produce all white crows.
The American Crow, like it’s fellow Corvids, has remarkable intelligence – comparable to that of primates – or a seven-year-old child.
The expression “a murder of crows” is the proper way of referring to a group of crows.
The interesting expression may come about because crows have historically been associated with danger and death in so many cultures.
Besides feeding on dead animals, since ancient times, crows have gathered on battlefields after gruesome human combat.
It may also refer to another age-old observation of crow behavior.
Crows are known to attend the death of a member of their group. But rather than being there to dispassionately observe death, their behavior seems to suggest that they are grieving.
They often appear to examine, and, sometimes, try to bury the body of the departed.
It’s likely they are just gathering clues as to the cause of death – especially if a predator was involved. They alert others to the situation – and they may avoid the area for several days.
They are expert communicators.
They not only have sophisticated conversations with members of their family and their local flock, but they can also convey exact locations of food sources, safe roosting sites and potential danger with crows who are strangers to them.
A crow can recognize every crow of their acquaintance and differentiate between the faces of humans.
Crows, like ravens, are said to make loyal and entertaining friends. They can be taught to speak much like a parrot and seem to evince a keen sense of humor, reveling in mischievous antics.
The famous 18th century English poet and playwright, Lord Byron, had a pet crow as did the 20th Century American artist, Jackson Pollock.
Nicholas Cage has a crow named Huginn. The name was the name of one of Odin’s crows. The Norse god was often depicted with his two favorite crows.
Crows have a lot in common with their larger cousins, ravens.
They can imitate human speech, are known to bring their human acquaintances little gifts and have long memories.
Their problem-solving skills are formidable. Crows are shrewd planners and even capable of deceit. They’re known to use, and even make, tools.
Ornithologists tell us that although some crows live alone, most mate for life and live in tight-knit families.
In spring, mated pairs work together, defending their territory and raising their chicks.
During the rest of the year, they continue to take care of each other and their offspring, which are often allowed to remain with the family indefinitely.
There are reports of young crows staying with their parents for years, helping to raise subsequent generations of chicks.
As winter approaches, a family flock will often join a larger group for feeding, roosting and social interaction, especially from late September to November when some crows migrate southward.
These large murders sometimes number in the hundreds.
The fall gatherings are a great way for crow families to communicate with each other.
They also give young crows an opportunity to learn survival and social skills. And they’re an excellent chance to meet potential mates.
Crows will sound the alarm with loud, urgent caws to warn each other of a potential threat.
They are known to go to great lengths to protect themselves and their family from a predator. They will often gather to take on the interloper in a behavior called “mobbing.”
Crows prefer roosting in extended family groups rather than alone or in pairs.
But in the fall, they often gather in much larger groups – sometimes numbering in the hundreds – to roost together.
There are many theories about their raucousness as they gather for roosting.
It may represent excited, friendly greetings, an exchange of information or arguments.
Crows prefer open farmland and fields, but they also live in suburban and urban settings.
In many parts of the world, crows were considered nuisances and faced eradication. But in 1972, crows – together with hawks, owls and eagles – were protected by an amendment to the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Crows are omnivores who were once considered destructive by some farmers, but they can be a beneficial predator of harmful insects and small rodents.
They scavenge dead animals and are often seen feeding on roadkill.
Like a lot of wildlife, they’re attracted to trash and compost.
If you want to discourage crows, secure any outdoor food sources, such as bird seed, pet food, refuse or compost. Gardeners and farmers famously use scarecrows to protect their crops.
The raven is a close relative of the crow and is often mistaken for a crow, but if you look closely, it’s easy to tell the difference.
A raven is much larger than a crow – typically up to 27 inches long with a wingspan of 46-60 inches. The American Crow is 17-21 inches long with a wingspan ranging from 33 to 39 inches.
Crows’ throat feathers are smooth while ravens’ are shaggy. And crows’ tails have a round, fan shape while ravens’ tails have more of a wedge or diamond shape.
Another easy way to identify the difference is by their voices.
The “caws” of crows have a higher pitch than the deep croaking or groaning of ravens.
Since time immemorial, both crows and ravens have always been associated with death and have been a source of human interest and superstition.
They’ve figured prominently in Greek, Roman, Celtic, Scandinavian, European, Japanese and Native American mythology.
Crows were thought to be messengers of the gods and were used for divination – forecasting the future – since the time of ancient Rome.
In many cultures crows were believed to carry the souls of the dead to the next world.
They have been called tricksters, thought to be bearers of bad omens, and considered harbingers of danger or death.
Folkloric traditions in medieval Europe and Britain reinforced these notions.
For instance, seeing crows in a church yard or crossing one’s path meant bad luck. Or a crow landing on the roof foretold bad news or even impending death.
The menace of crows was featured in Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” and in Shakespeare’s plays.
But the superstitions didn’t always equate crows with bad fortune.
Sometimes, after a wedding, two crows would be released together. If the crows flew away in opposite directions, the couple could soon be parted.
But if they flew away together, the newlyweds could expect a long life, happy life together.
In some cultures – Norse, Native American and Asian, for instance – crows were symbols of wisdom and could represent the visiting spirit of a departed loved one.
But somehow, maybe because of the perverseness of human nature, we’d rather see crows as harbingers of evil and death.
Especially at this time of year, we revel in stories set in graveyards and haunted houses.
Halloween movies will often feature animals we’ve insisted on associating with the macabre, like black cats, bats, owls, ravens and crows.
Like the soundtrack of a scary movie, the cawing of crows can be heard in the fall of the year, almost like an announcement of the onset of the darkness of winter.
Illogical as it may be, generations of folklore predispose us to think of the sight and sound of crows as somehow suspect.
And as we judge them, it may be that crows are judging us as well.
They’re not just smart – they hold grudges. For years. Sometimes their entire lifetime.
After an altercation with another bird, animal or a human, crows have been known to pass their prejudices on to their friends, family and offspring.
So, have a care the next time you think of crossing a crow.
You may be making more than just one enemy. You may be making the whole family mad at you – and even generations down the line.
Remember Alfred Hitchcock’s movie, “The Birds.”
