Whether you're a birdwatcher or not, you don't have to go far to find American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos), probably the most familiar bird species in North America. While these large, shiny black birds are common in fields and woods, they also thrive near human-altered habitats: from suburban backyards and parking lots to roadsides, city parks, golf courses and garbage dumps. Along with jays, magpies, crows and ravens, ravens belong to the Corvidae bird family, a group of more than 120 species. In the Lowcountry, American crows are year-round residents, along with fish crows, which look nearly identical but are more common near water. One way to distinguish the two is by their calls: the “caw” of fish crows is higher-pitched and more nasal. Both types of crows can make a lot of noise. And their vocalizations aren't exactly melodic. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In the case of American Crows, scientists have begun analyzing their vast vocal repertoire, which includes various types of caws, along with assorted grunts, rattles, clicks, and murmurs. Crows also imitate the sounds of other animals, including humans, and different populations may exhibit regional "dialects." "Some vocalizations appear to have specific functions, for example to advertise a food source or to indicate distress. It is not uncommon for a flock of crows to “attack” a hawk or other potential predator, amidst a raucous din of bird calls. alarm that calls other crows to the scene. While much remains to be learned, the vast and varied vocabulary of American crows is clearly key to a complex range of social behaviors, for example ”. The chicks can stay with their parents for several years, helping them raise successive broods of chicks, in other words, their younger siblings. Outside of the breeding season, these families can join larger groups and a large number of crows can congregate together in noisy roosts. Like other corvids, American crows have large brains relative to their body size. Recent scientific observations, along with countless anecdotal reports, have highlighted their intelligence, curiosity, and ability to learn. For example, crows can recognize individual human faces, form lasting memories, and pass this knowledge on to other birds. In a notable series of studies at the University of Washington, researchers wore "caveman" masks as they captured, banded, and released some American crows on campus. Subsequently, the scientists were repeatedly mobbed and “scolded” by the crows every time they put on those masks again. The harassment came not only from the birds that had been banded, but apparently also from other crows who had simply witnessed the disturbing event. The flock's aversion to the caveman's face persisted years after the original grouping episodes, as other birds joined in the mobbing scenes and learned to recognize this particular "enemy." “Crows also demonstrate learning and versatility when searching for food. American crows eat a wide variety of foods, from seeds and fruits to earthworms, insects, spiders, snails, mice, frogs, carrion, and the eggs and hatchlings of other birds. They are also adept at raiding garbage bins and stealing tidbits from the packed lunches of unsuspecting humans. Scientists have found that American crows in urban areas of California show well-calibrated strategies while.