THE ANIMAL FILES

American crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Last year's young can help feed this year's chicks.

American crows can live in extended family groups where older offspring assist with younger nestlings. Their varied diet spans seeds, invertebrates, small prey and carrion. Black plumage alone can leave identification uncertain where similar crow species overlap.[1]

Follow the evidence ↓
American crow
Image: Paul Danese · Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
A family that stays
Older offspring can help rear new nestlings.[1]
Seasonal feeding
Nuts and acorns become important in autumn and winter.[1]
Similar black birds
Fish crows can be difficult to separate by sight.[1]

A family that stays

Young from earlier breeding seasons may remain with a pair and help at later nests. Cooperative care therefore involves more than the breeding adults alone. A group around a nest can include relatives from several years rather than a newly assembled crowd.[1]

Seasonal feeding

Food includes invertebrates, fruit, grains, carrion and small animals. Fall and winter increase reliance on nuts and acorns. Hunting and scavenging are both recorded, so an animal seen beside a carcass need not have made the kill.[1]

Similar black birds

American crows can be difficult to distinguish visually from fish crows. Fish crows tend to have more slender bills and to hunch and fluff their throat feathers when calling. Common ravens show a more wedge-like tail in flight.[1]

A COMMON MIX-UP

Does a black crow-like bird have to be an American crow?

No. Similar crow species overlap and can be hard to identify visually.[1]

TRY A LITTLE REASONING

Why might more than two birds deliver care around a nest?

Reveal the explanation

Older offspring can stay with their parents and assist in raising the next young.[1]

Sources & editorial notes

Adapted and translated from the cited Wikipedia revisions, with source-linked reasoning. Image credit and licence are listed separately above.

Adapted and translated from Wikipedia contributors; exact revisions are linked below. CC BY-SA 4.0

  1. Wikipedia contributors — American crow (cited revision)
  2. NCBI Taxonomy — Corvus brachyrhynchos

Last fact check:

One discovery leads to another

Common ravenA raven may hide today’s surplus for a later meal.Corvus corax ↗Blue jayBlue feathers can be blue without blue pigment.Cyanocitta cristata ↗Western jackdawA pair can stay together inside a much larger flock.Coloeus monedula ↗