Flocks of crows range widely for food, up to 30 miles a day in winter. Foods include grasshoppers, caterpillars, grubs, worms, most insects, grain, fruit, the eggs and young of other birds, organic garbage -- just about anything that they can find or overpower. Crows also feed on the carcasses of winter- and road-killed animals.
Crows have extremely keen senses of sight and hearing. They are wary and usually post sentries while they feed. Sentry birds watch for danger, ready to alert the feeding birds with a sharp alarm caw. Once aloft, crows fly at 25-30 mph; with a strong tail wind, they can hit 60. These skillful fliers have a large repertoire of moves designed to throw off airborne predators.
A
nest site is usually chosen away from those of other
crows. Most often, nests are built in the crotch
of a tree, 10-70 feet above ground, usually more
than 25 feet. A typical crow's nest is a large,
substantial basket, 22-26 inches across, built of
twigs, sticks, bark and vines. The deep central
cup is lined with moss, shredded bark, grass, deer
hair, fur, feathers or similar material.
