Crow - description, habitat, interesting facts

Such a bird as a crow is the most common and recognizable species of birds. Note that this type of bird differs from its relatives by quick wit, a lively mind, as well as the possibility of taming and subsequent attachment to its owner.

View description

The gray crow belongs to the family of corvids and is a fairly large bird, the body length is up to 51-53 cm, the maximum weight reaches 700 g., The wingspan is up to 1 meter.

The characteristic color of the plumage of the representatives of the species is gray (with the exception of the crown, tail, wings and shirt-front of the bird). The beak of a raven is black-blue - with a characteristic bent tip and a prominent beak that stands out with a bulge. The legs of the species are black. The presence of gray in the color of the feather cover of the crow, in fact, is the main difference from other subspecies. Note that young individuals have a darker color of plumage. The characteristic sounds made by the bird are hoarse and loud “carr-carrr”.

According to most ornithologists, the black crow is a subspecies of the black crow, with the possibility of crossing representatives of both species. The lifestyles of species practically do not differ - birds lead a sedentary lifestyle, as a rule, live in pairs or small groups (crow communities).

Power Features

As a rule, gray ravens, who live mainly in urban conditions, get the food they take on the roofs of houses, where they become saturated in a calm environment.

The gray raven is considered to be a predatory species of birds, since they are also able to hunt small birds for their food, especially often the bird ravages nests with newly emerged chicks. Also, the crow loves to feast on some small animals and rodents. Often in urban park areas, gray crows prey on squirrels. Large flocks of ravens are capable of raiding hares, skillfully blocking the escape route for the escaping animal and driving it to a dead end. Often, these birds adopt the characteristic behavior of such a feathered one as skuas, which is manifested by the terrorization of small gulls hunting fish in the coastal zone.

Habitat

The greatest distribution of the population of gray crows has received throughout Eurasia. This bird can be found almost everywhere: in urban conditions, in forests, in landfills and wastelands. Note that the crow is not at all frightened by people. Birds place their nests in any place convenient for living - not only on tall trees, but also on buildings. As a rule, for the night, representatives of this species of birds gather in fairly large groups or flocks. Often, cemeteries or park areas are chosen as a place to spend the night. Often gray flocks of ravens are joined by jackdaws and rooks.

Propagation Features

The breeding season of gray ravens begins with the onset of the first spring days. To attract females, males of this species make complex figures in the air.

A gray crow nests in pairs, while the nests of representatives of the species are located in close proximity to each other.

Crows are considered very sensitive birds, this is especially evident in environmental issues.A couple of birds will not when will not build their nest in too polluted or smoky areas. To visit such ecologically unfavorable places of a raven can only in search of food necessary for food. That is, the nest is built in a clean area, which is explained by concern for future offspring.

Immediately the time at which the crows begin to build their nests is March-April. As a building material, birds use almost everything they come across - from a variety of materials and rags, to dry vegetation. The maximum number of masonry is 6 eggs with a bluish tint with brown specks and fuzzy strokes. The female is engaged in hatching future offspring, the task of the raven is to provide the mother of the family with the necessary food. During incubation of eggs, the bird often conducts its airing, which is expressed by its characteristic behavior - it gets on its feet, raising the body above the tray, after which it quickly starts to sort through them for several tens of seconds.

The duration of the incubation period is about three weeks. Many observers have noticed that, as a rule, the male chick is the first to hatch. After the birth of all offspring, the female begins to help her partner in solving such a problem as finding food for both her own food and for feeding the chicks.

The main condition for feeding younger worship is the availability of easily digestible and high-calorie food, for this reason crows often break the nests of other birds to feed their offspring, picking their eggs to feed their chicks. Often, for the same purpose, they steal nestlings of starlings or other small birds.

View habits

Gray ravens are quite mobile and active birds that like to walk slowly from side to side. Also, this bird is very fond of various entertainments, for example, her favorite attractions are: planning in the air, swinging on wires, rolling down an inclined surface of roofs.

Also, these representatives of the species are very smart, for example, if they can not cope with the disclosure of any fruit, they simply rise to a great height, from where they throw it off.

The gray ravens, like any birds, have their own worst enemy - this is such a bird as an eagle owl. The latter attacks them at night, when they sleep soundly.

Another feature of the crow is its excellent memory. Also, gray ravens can be called vindictive, for example, they can attack a dog that dispersed a pack several years ago. Sometimes birds take people’s fur hats for their offenders, because of which there are often cases when a bird flew into a person and started furiously pecking his headdress.

Schedule

Gray crows wake up before sunrise, gathering in small flocks on the roofs of houses or sitting on the branches of a large tree. As a rule, the first half of the day is occupied by the fact that the birds are in search of suitable food for nutrition. Closer to noon, the crows again gather in a flock in order to relax on the beloved large tree or the beautiful structure. After lunch, the birds again go in search of food. Before spending the night, they actively communicate, sharing their impressions of the past day.

Interesting Facts

1. Such a species of birds as gray crows, living in captivity, are very attached to a person raising his feathered pet. Especially if a representative of this species got into the house to a person at a young age - a chick.
2. Most bird owners note that crows are very savvy birds, however, they have one significant drawback - crows are not only smart, but also thieves.
3. A hand crow can live next to a person for many years.
4. Such a bird as a crow is, in fact, a professional accomplice. The peculiarity of the organism of this species of birds is that a concentrated acid is formed in the bird’s stomach, which prevents infections from spreading so that this bird does not eat. That is, this is one of the types of birds from which a person can not pick up any contagious disease.
5. Ravens often hide their prey, doing so in a way that no one sees. If the crow noticed that someone had followed it, the prey is hiding in another place, while the bird will have to make sure that no one saw it.
6. Crows are able to communicate with each other in their own language, which is extremely developed and, accordingly, has a rich supply of sounds to indicate various situations.

Video: Crow (Corvus cornix)