American Crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Not EvaluatedCommonOmnivoreUrbanCup nestLarge · 449 g

About the American 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.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

ID tip

The American crow is a large, distinctive bird with iridescent black 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%. The wing chord is 24.5 to 33 cm (9.6 to 13.0 in), with the wingspan ranging from 85 to 100 cm (33 to 39 in). The bill length can be from 3 to 5.5 cm (1.2 to 2.2 in), varying strongly according to location. The tarsus is 5.5 to 6.5 cm (2.2 to 2.6 in) and the tail is 13.5 to 19 cm (5.3 to 7.5 in). The body mass can vary from 316 to 620 g (11.1 to 21.9 oz).

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

What the American Crow sounds like

Recording: Doug Hynes · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Recording: Robert Benson · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Recording: Doug Hynes · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Where it lives

Regular range

When to see it

Peak activity in May · a resident species across most of its range

Easily confused with

Side by side: American Crow vs Northern Raven · American Crow vs Carrion Crow · American Crow vs Fish Crow

Learn the American Crow for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

Play BeakBrain

Every photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.