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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
Where it lives
When to see it
Peak activity in May · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneThe plumage of the carrion crow is black with a green or purple sheen, much greener than the gloss of the rook (Corvus frugilegus).
Fish CrowCorvus ossifragusThe fish crow is a medium-large bird, with an average adult weight of 280–320 grams (9.9–11.3 oz) in males and 247–293 grams (8.7–10.3 oz) in females.
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.
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