Do Crows Migrate During the Winter?

The word “crow” is a broad term used to describe the Corvus genus, which also includes ravens, rooks, and Jackdaws. These birds are typically all black, with long legs and thick bills. For this article, we will be discussing American crows. The American crow is a large passerine found throughout most of North America and is known for its intelligence and adaptation to human habitations. They are a staple in rural and city life and don’t appear to leave their environments for long. But do crows migrate during the winter? And if so, where do they go?

Why Do Crows Migrate?

Crows are partial migrants, meaning some populations stay in their environment year-round, while others move for parts of the year before returning. Interestingly, most crows do migrate, contrary to what many used to believe. Crows not only migrate to escape the cold winter weather but also to breed. However, they don’t typically travel far. 

Some groups will stay and tough out the winter; these populations tend to exhibit this behavior each year. But others will move as a direct response to food scarcity and snow and ice cover. But populations that migrate tend to keep this routine even when winters are mild. Migration (or non-migration) seems to be almost habitual to the American crow.

Where Do Crows Migrate During Winter?

Crows that live in the US and along the western Canadian coast typically stay in their environments all year. But populations that breed in Canada and the far northern parts of the US migrate south for winter. You will often find crows in the southwestern United States on their wintering grounds. You can also occasionally find them in Florida and northern Mexico (although rare). 

Most birds from the Corvus genus are nonmigratory, especially species found in Africa and Asia. Outside of the American crow, the hooded crow in Europe is the only other reliable migrant species. Crows are not picky about their wintering grounds and will inhabit anything with some shelter and a nearby food source. Once the ground thaws up north, the migrant populations head back to their breeding grounds, where spring awaits.

Crow Migration in the United States

There are five recognized subspecies of American crow in the United States: eastern, western, northwestern, Florida, and southern. Each subspecies differs slightly, from calls to body size, and their names also describe their location. Southern and Florida crows tend to remain permanently in their warm habitats, while the western, eastern, and northwestern populations are more likely to migrate. Crows on the west coast traveled slightly farther to their wintering grounds than east coast birds, but both groups seemed to return to the exact same breeding grounds each year. 

Crow Migration: Distance

If crows are short-distance migrants, then how far do they travel? Crows on the east and west coasts of the United States migrate an average of 310 miles. And the longest-distance traveler was a Canadian crow that flew over 1,700 miles to Mexico, an interesting feat seeing as crows are not particularly strong fliers. They do not fly to their destinations in one go, but break up their trip into small increments, stopping often to forage and rest.

Do Crows Migrate in Large Flocks?

Crows are highly social during fall and winter, gathering in large flocks that sometimes number thousands. They migrate to their wintering grounds with these large groups, but you may not always see them flying together. Occasionally, they can be seen moving together, but other times they fly solo and meet up with their companions to roost and forage. 

Do Crows Travel to the Same Place Yearly?

Crows are creatures of habit and generally tend to return to the same nesting and roosting sites each year. They roost communally on wintering grounds, using this method to exchange information and find mates. And they return to their spring habitats a few weeks before the nest-building period begins. During the nesting season, crows break up into smaller groups to forage for their building material. Once egg-laying starts, they split off into pairs.

Up Next:

• Where Do Cardinals Go in the Winter?
• Discover 10 Birds That Fly South For The Winter (And 5 That Don’t)
• Monarch Butterfly Migration: Distance Traveled & More!

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