In winter, crows consume grain, seeds, nuts, and fruit, supplemented by carrion and garbage. Omnivorous and opportunistic, crows feed on a diversity of plants and small animals. Crows tend to stay away from large forested areas and high elevations where their larger cousin, the raven, is common. They frequent garbage dumps in towns and cities. The migratory crows were flexible from year to year about where they spent the winter.Ĭrows use a wide variety of habitats, but prefer open landscapes for ground-feeding with nearby woods for perching and roosting. Some remained on their territories year-round.
Crows in the study migrated an average distance of 310 miles and returned to their breeding territories in spring. A 2018 study led by Andrea Townsend of Hamilton College fitted crows in New York State with satellite transmitters to track their movements. Crows that nest in our region often travel short distances to spend the winter. Most crows that breed in Canada and far northern Maine migrate south, some stopping in other areas of the Northeast to join local flocks. These sightings have made me curious about how these large birds survive the winter. Sometimes I find their wandering tracks leading to holes in the snow where a crow probed for food. During winter, I catch glimpses of crows as they fly swiftly over our valley, cawing, or gather in small groups to feed on roadkill along the highway.
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