Wild Neighbors: The intelligent crow

American crows are common across the entire United States, including right here in Castle Pines. Crows are solid black birds with iridescent feathers and a familiar “caaw-caaw-caaw” call. They, along with magpies, ravens and jays, are known as corvids, a family of highly intelligent birds well adapted to living near humans. Crows are larger than blackbirds and smaller than ravens.

In Douglas County, crows can be found year-round, frequently forming large flocks, called murders, in the fall and winter. They are cooperative breeders, with both parents and even unrelated helpers caring for the offspring. Both parents build the nest and sit on the eggs, which are blueish-green with brown spots.

Crows have an incredible ability to recognize and remember human faces. In a study by the University of Washington, a researcher wore a caveman mask while capturing, measuring and banding seven crows, much to the crows’ displeasure. The researcher and students then walked around campus wearing the caveman mask. For years after, the individual wearing the mask would be mobbed and scolded by crows—not only the original seven crows, but many more, up to 47 in one incident. The number of crows bothered by the mask reached a peak seven years after the study began. It was not until 17 years later (a year after the death of the last of the captured crows) that one could walk around campus in the mask unbothered by crows.

Crows can also remember friendly humans. Anecdotes abound of people who befriend crows, often by leaving out snacks of unsalted peanuts, cat kibble or berries, and in return the crows bring them small treasures such as beads, buttons, shiny pebbles and lost earrings.

The intelligence of crows extends beyond human interactions. They have been observed using tools, such as poking sticks into holes to retrieve insects and dropping rocks into water to raise the water level. They are also known to gather around deceased crows. The reason for this behavior is not known, but it may be a type of mourning, or it may be a learning opportunity—the crows seeking to determine what killed their compatriot in hopes of avoiding a similar fate.

For more information, visit Audubon.com or Washington.edu and search “American crow.”