Fishing crow
Fishing crow | ||||||||||||
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![]() Fishing crow |
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Systematics | ||||||||||||
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Scientific name | ||||||||||||
Corvus ossifragus | ||||||||||||
Wilson , 1812 |
The fishing crow ( Corvus ossifragus ) is an American type of crow that is found mainly in wetlands.
description
The fish crow is outwardly very similar to the American crow , but it is smaller with 36–41 cm in length and has silky plumage. The plumage is black everywhere, on the top it shimmers blue-green, while it has a more greenish shimmer underneath. The eyes are colored dark brown. The two species can often only be distinguished by direct comparison or by reputation.
distribution and habitat
The species lives on the east coast of the United States from Rhode Island south to Key West and on the north coast of the Gulf of Mexico . It is also widespread inland along river systems.
The habitat is largely limited to wetlands and coastal or bank strips along the coast and the rivers and the directly adjacent areas.
behavior
nutrition
Food is sought on land and in shallow water. The crow flies over areas of shallow water and grabs food out of the water with his feet. It will eat small crustaceans and other invertebrates , stranded fish , eggs and nestlings of other birds, small reptiles , fruits and seeds and human waste. Live fish are also caught when circumstances permit.
Reproduction
The nest is usually established in tall trees in small, loose colonies . The female lays 4–5 blue-green, olive-colored spotted eggs .
Danger
The species appears to be slightly more resistant to the West Nile virus than the American crow. Survival rates as high as 45% have been reported, while those in the American crow are close to zero.
In the Red List of Threatened Species of IUCN , the fish crow will be deemed not at risk.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Goodwin D. (1983). Crows of the World . Queensland University Press, St Lucia, Qld. ISBN 0-7022-1015-3 .
- ↑ Corvus ossifragus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2009. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2009. Accessed January 14, 2011th