By Sally Siko
While taking photos in my yard in central North Carolina this morning I was stoked to get my first American Crow to visit my feeders.
I absolutely LOVE crows and was so excited to see this one swoop in to try and snag a snack!
It was so cool to sit there and watch this impressive bird explore my yard, poking around in the plants and munching on the seed.
Unfortunately the resident Mockingbirds weren’t happy that he was here and harassed the poor bird constantly. Luckily the crow managed to get a few bites of food from before it flew off into the woods.
American Crows are highly intelligent birds with impressive memory capabilities which enables them to remember specific feeding sites, recognize individual humans, and recall where they’ve hidden food caches.
Their intelligence is not only remarkable in the avian world but also comparable to some mammalian species, showcasing their ability to thrive and problem-solve in a variety of contexts.
They are even known to fashion and use tools, such as sticks or even wire, to extract insects from crevices or manipulate objects to their advantage.
These gregarious birds also exhibit complex social dynamics, forming tight-knit family groups and engaging in cooperative behaviors, such as mobbing predators or sharing information about food sources.
I was actually surprised to see only this one in my yard since usually I see the neighborhood crows hanging out together in a flock of 6-10 individuals.
Makes me wonder if this guy is a solo visitor just passing through or perhaps a youngster out on his own for the first time.
Whichever the case may be I hope that he continues to visit my yard so that I can enjoy spending time with him again soon!
Btw, I’ve got a ton of fun group birding trips in North Carolina, South Carolina, Maine and New Jersey open for booking from now through December.
Check out the calendar below and book your next birding adventure with me today!
Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5