Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus) lives in wetland habitats across Southeastern United States, Gulf Coast, and eastern Mexico. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Fish Crow
- A male fish crow can tip the scales at 320 g, while a female may be as light as 247 g, roughly the weight of a deck of cards. Their wings stretch about 36 inches (90 cm) and the body measures 36-40 cm long, making them noticeably smaller than the common American crow. This compact size lets them slip through dense marsh reeds and hover low over water to snatch crustaceans.
- A fish crow's menu reads like a wetland buffet: it plucks crabs and shrimp from shallow water, snatches stranded fish, raids bird nests for eggs and nestlings, and even sips nectar from a tiger's-claw tree. In urban settings it scavenges peanuts, grains, and garbage.
- Fish crows aren't true colony builders, but they'll set nests within 100 yards of each other when suitable trees are scarce, especially in marshes. This close spacing creates loose "neighborhoods" that can collectively mob predators, yet each pair still defends its own territory.
- Since 2012 fish crows have leapt northward, establishing breeding colonies along Lake Ontario in Canada. Their expansion isn't limited to Canada; they're also recorded as vagrants on Grand Bahama and Abaco islands.
- When West Nile virus sweeps through crow populations, fish crows hold a survival edge: up to 45 % of infected individuals survive, whereas American crows often die outright.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeSoutheastern United States, Gulf Coast, and eastern Mexico
HabitatWetland habitats
DietInsects and fish
About the Fish Crow
In the misty dawn of coastal wetlands, the Fish Crow emerges as a silhouette of mystery, its sleek black form weaving through the tangled mangroves with an air of quiet purpose. With eyes like polished onyx, it surveys its realm, a master of stealth and cunning, as it patrols the shoreline in search of its next meal, its call a low, husky murmur that carries on the sea breeze. As it takes to the skies, its wings beat with a slow, deliberate rhythm, a testament to its status as a formidable and resilient denizen of the Atlantic coast.
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