General

Fish Crow: Medium-sized crow with black body and dark, heavy bill. Sexes are similar. Very similar to American Crow, but call is different.

Range and Habitat

Fish Crow: Resident on Atlantic coast from Massachusetts and southern New England to Florida and along the Gulf coast west to Texas; found inland along larger rivers north to Illinois. Some northern birds migrate south in winter. Prefers low coastal country, near tidewater and pine barrens in the north; in the south, prefers coasts and inland lakes, rivers, and swamps.

Breeding and Nesting

Fish Crow: Four to five blue or gray-green eggs with brown and gray spots are laid in a nest made of twigs, lined with bark chips, pine needles, feathers, hair, and soft grass, and built from 6 to 90 feet above the ground in a shrub or the topmost crotch of a deciduous tree or conifer. Incubation ranges from 16 to 18 days and is carried out by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

Fish Crow: Eats marine invertebrates, carrion, bird eggs and nestlings, fruits, and seeds. Forages on the ground and in shrubs and trees; opens mollusks by dropping them on hard surfaces.

Readily Eats

Peanuts

Vocalization

Fish Crow: Call is a high-pitched, nasal "ca-hah" or "aw-uk."

Similar Species

Fish Crow: American Crow is slightly larger and has a more typical sounding call. Common Raven is much larger and has a larger bill and wedge-shaped tail.