Animal Facts
Crow Facts & Trivia: Fascinating Things to Know
Crows are intelligent songbirds. They cache food in dozens of hiding spots and remember exactly where each one is, mimic human speech like parrots, and have even learned to leave hard-shelled nuts in roadways so passing cars crack them open for them. Pairs often stay bonded for years or a lifetime, crows show real emotion, including anger and grief, and a flock of them is called a "murder."
Few birds carry a reputation quite like the crow's — part trickster, part mourner, part genius. These glossy black members of the Corvidae family have spread across nearly every corner of the planet, and the more scientists study them, the smarter they turn out to be. Here's a look at the real facts, plus how crows have found their way into film and song.
Fascinating Crow Facts
Crows are found on every continent except South America and Antarctica, and worldwide there are roughly 45 recognized species in the group. Fossil evidence traces the earliest crows back about 17 million years to the Miocene epoch, with origins in Australia and the wider Oceania region.
Crows are also deeply social and emotional animals. They form long-term pair bonds — often lasting for years or even a lifetime — though research suggests females tend to stay faithful while males are more likely to stray.
Beyond mating, crows are known to show real emotion, expressing anger, grief, and joy in ways researchers can observe. A typical wild crow lives around seven years, and despite their reputation as a distinct "bird," crows actually fall under the songbird classification.
Their intelligence shows up everywhere. Crows cache food in numerous hiding spots and can recall exactly where each stash is later. Some have figured out that placing a hard-shelled nut in a roadway lets passing cars crack it open for them.
They can also mimic sounds, including human speech, in a manner similar to parrots — and they can recognize and remember individual human faces.
A few more details: - A gathering of crows is known as a "murder." - Crows will crush ants and rub the residue on their feathers, apparently using it like a scent or cleaning agent. - Crows nest as territorial family groups rather than in colonies, building nests roughly 18 to 60 feet up; the gatherings of a thousand or more birds are winter night roosts, which form outside the breeding season. - They can commute up to 40 miles daily between their nighttime roosts and daytime foraging grounds. - In winter, crows often gather in large communal roosts to sleep together. - Crows are omnivores and typically measure 15 to 18 inches long. - Crows can act as carriers of the West Nile virus, and American crow populations have adapted especially well to suburban life. - Taxonomically, they belong to kingdom Animalia, family Corvidae, and the genus was established by Linnaeus.
Crows in Movies & Music
Crows turn up often on screen and in song. On film, the wisecracking duo Heckle and Jeckle first appeared in 1946, while Disney's own murder of crows showed up in Dumbo back in 1941. Musicians have leaned on the crow as a symbol just as often — Bob Dylan sang of the "Black Crow Blues," Joni Mitchell wrote and recorded "Black Crow" on Hejira (1976), and Jackson Browne recorded "The Crow on the Cradle," a song written by Sydney Carter.
The bird's brooding image turns up again in Scorpions' "Lonesome Crow" and Autumn Blaze's "A Crow on My Shoulder."
Famous Crows
A couple of crows have earned lasting name recognition. Heckle and Jeckle became cartoon icons in their own right, while Old Crow bourbon takes its name from James C. Crow, the 19th-century Kentucky distiller — the crow on the label was a later play on his surname.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a group of crows called?
A group of crows is called a "murder," one of the more memorable collective nouns in the bird world.
How long do crows live and do they mate for life?
A typical wild crow lives around seven years. Pairs tend to stay together for years or even a lifetime, though females are generally more faithful to the bond than males.
How smart are crows really?
Very. Crows hide food in many spots and remember each location later, can mimic human voices like a parrot, and have even learned to place nuts in roads so passing cars crack the shells open.