[TN-Bird] American and Fish Crow ID - LONG
- From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 29 Jul 2005 19:21:34 EDT
July 29, 2005
Fish Crows are really expanding with reports as far north as Maine recently
on the net and they are advancing up a lot of major river systems. Over here
in west TN, they have increased big time and this past winter in Dec/Jan, I
had 100 to 150 up in Lake Co, on several days. Of course they winter up that
way but usually in very small numbers and only seen or heard rarely except at
the large roosts in the evenings, where they tend to be off to themselves.
Below here on the major lakes in north MS, we get them pretty much on any
given
day in the winter and separating them by sight can be done but with some
practice and lots of looking at details.
If you see a bird perched up and calling, even if you can't hear the call, a
fair scope look at the posture plus a few other points will get you a better
than fair chance at an ID. Fish Crow is a slicker bird and usually
recognizably slimmer and smaller, short legged, with a smaller slimmer sharply
hooked
bill and even smaller feet but all that is pretty tough on a lone bird.
A Fish Crow when calling, will look more slouched, shorter necked and
almost always fluffs out the throat feathers into an easily seen bib with each
calling effort. The American Crow stretches out it neck and extends forward and
almost never shows a bib but usually a smooth throat. The feathers on the
upper mantle of the American Crow can usually be individually seen as the edges
stand out where a Fish Crow's feather tips meld together not showing the
scaled look or individual feathers just a solid appearance. The Fish Crows
feathers are usually shiny where an American's are duller.
In flight, there is a difference in wing structure with the American having
a more rounded look to the wing while a Fish has a more pointed wing. On Fish
Crow, p-8 is the longest primary with p-7 only slightly shorter and p-6 &
p-9 considerably shorter, plus p-10 is about the same length as p-5 all adding
up to a more pointed look. On American Crows p-7 & 8 are about the same
length and p6 & 9 only slightly shorter with p-10 the same length as p-4 for a
more rounded look. All that said you have to be careful due to molt timing and
such but I find that more often than not you can get a good idea of the ID and
hope for a call for confirmation;o) Practice-Practice-Practice
As far as single calls, they can be pretty tough as even adult American
Crows gives single calls on certain occasions although slightly different from
Fish but hard to differentiate without hearing a many calls over a period of
time. Female American will beg around nesting time, so that can account for
early season calls and their young will beg into August and later (these may
be
retarded teens;o) Begging calls can be heard from subordinate birds when
approaching a dominant bird any time of the year. The double note call is your
best bet because I don't think you will ever hear an American do anything
resembling that call.
Fish Crows can be usually found around rookeries and zoos because they are
famous egg predators. That would be a good place to go early and late to listen
for them.
Good Birding!!!
Jeff R. Wilson
OL'COOT / TLBA
Bartlett, TN
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