Crow

The crow is a smart black bird found almost everywhere in the world. Crows live on every continent except South America and Antarctica. They belong to a family of birds called corvids, which also includes ravens, jays, and magpies. Most crows are between 16 and 21 inches long from beak to tail. The common American crow weighs about a pound, roughly the same as a loaf of bread.

Crows are all black, from their beaks to their feet. Up close, their feathers can shine blue or purple in the sunlight. Ravens look a lot like crows but are bigger, with thicker beaks and wedge-shaped tails. A crow's tail opens like a fan.

Crows will eat almost anything. They hunt insects, mice, and baby birds. They eat seeds, nuts, fruit, eggs, and dead animals. They also pick through garbage. In cities, crows have learned to live close to people. They sometimes drop hard nuts onto roads, wait for cars to crack them open, and come back for the food.

Crows are some of the smartest animals on Earth. Scientists have tested them in labs and found that crows can solve puzzles, use tools, and plan ahead. New Caledonian crows bend twigs into hooks to pull grubs out of logs. Some crows drop stones into a tube of water to raise the water level and reach a floating treat. That kind of thinking was once believed to belong only to people and apes.

Crows also recognize faces. In one famous study at the University of Washington, scientists wore masks while trapping crows. Years later, crows still scolded anyone wearing that mask. The birds even taught their young to dislike it. Researchers were not wearing the mask at the time.

Crows are social. They gather in groups called "murders." (Nobody is sure why the word "murder" got attached to crows, but the name stuck from old English.) In winter, thousands may sleep together in giant roosts. Families stay close. Young crows often help their parents raise the next batch of babies.

People have told stories about crows for thousands of years. In Norse myths, the god Odin had two crow-like ravens named Huginn and Muninn who flew around the world and brought him news. Many Native American stories treat Crow as a clever trickster or a bringer of gifts. In some cultures crows are seen as bad luck, while in others they are messengers or protectors. It is fitting that a bird this clever shows up in so many different stories.