Species

Fish crow

Corvus ossifragus

A smaller crow of the coast and rivers, told from the American crow by its nasal 'uh-uh' call.

Photo Rhododendrites (opens in a new tab) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

Intelligence

At a glance

Size: About 36 to 41 cm long
Weight: About 190 to 330 g
Habitat: Coasts, rivers, lakes, towns and car parks
Diet: Crabs, fish, eggs, insects, fruit and scraps
In Georgia: Common resident, especially on the coast and along rivers
Voice: A nasal "uh-uh" or "cah"
Rabies vector: No

Identification

Key marks: All black; slightly smaller and slimmer than the American crow
Told apart from: American crow, which is best told by its louder "caw"
Where to look: Beaches, rivers, car parks and fast-food restaurants

Behaviour

Fish crows scavenge along shores and in towns, and take eggs from heron and tern colonies. They often roost with American crows in winter.

Why they matter

Fish crows are scavengers along Georgia's coast and rivers. They have spread inland along rivers in recent decades and are now common in many towns.

Reproduction and lifecycle

Nest — A cup of sticks in a tree
Eggs — Usually four or five
Incubation — About 16 to 19 days
Chicks — Fed by both parents
Leaving the nest — At about three to four weeks
Lifespan — Several years

Living around people

Young crows on the ground in summer are usually fledglings with parents nearby.

Misconceptions

All crows are the same. Georgia has two crows and a raven, best told apart by voice.

Related species

Seasonal activity

When this species is breeding, and when there are nests on the ground. Mowing during the shaded months is how most nests are found.

Breeding and active nests by month for this species
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Breeding	Jan: no	Feb: no	Mar: no	Apr: no	May: no	Jun: no	Jul: no	Aug: no	Sep: no	Oct: no	Nov: no	Dec: no
Active nests	Jan: no	Feb: no	Mar: no	Apr: no	May: no	Jun: no	Jul: no	Aug: no	Sep: no	Oct: no	Nov: no	Dec: no
Notes	Flocks	Flocks	Pairs forming	Nesting	Chicks	Young fledging	Families	Flocks	Flocks	Flocks	Flocks	Flocks

Where it lives

Recorded in 32 states and provinces. Each one links to the other animals there, and to the rehabilitators licensed for them.

Canada

Ontario

If you found one

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