Common CrowJanuary 2007
 



Let's face it: The common (or American) crow is not exactly what bird feeding is all about. But to document the birds that show up at the feed area, the common crow is among the common species.

On the bright side, blue jays, crows, and ravens are in the family Corvidae, considered the most intelligent birds, so if not beauty, we have brains. On the other hand, isn't there something appealing about this fellow below?
 

Perching crow
   
In the backyard itself, the crows eat the corn that the squirrels toss away, so crows help keep the place tidy.
 
Backyard crows
 
  And however monotone a crow may happen to be, its form is quite dramatic.
 
Crow
 

Crows also perform social service: calling alarms and driving hawks away.
 
Crow diving on hawk
 

Although numerous crows often mob one hawk, it was a solitary crow repeatedly divebombing the red-tailed hawk above.

Photo note: I used a Pentax *ist D, with the SMC-A* 200mm macro and the SMC 1000mm reflex, for these photos.




My Pennsylvania bird list

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