Fish Crow Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  Fish Crows fit the standard crow shape: hefty, well-proportioned birds with heavy bills, sturdy legs, and broad wings. At rest, Fish Crows’ wings fall short of their medium-length, square tails.

  Relative Size

  Very slightly smaller than an American Crow.

  crow-sized

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 14.2-15.8 in (36-40 cm)
    • Weight: 6.9-11.6 oz (195-330 g)
    • Wingspan: 33.1 in (84 cm)

  © Paul Tavares / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Fish Crows are all black. Immatures are less glossy and can become brownish as their feathers wear in their first year.

• Behavior

  Fish Crows are very social birds—look for them in pairs in the breeding season and up to several hundred or more during migration or winter. When feeding and roosting they may mix with American Crows. When Fish Crows give their distinctive nasal calls from the ground, they often puff out their neck and body feathers, forming a distinctive, ragged ruff on the throat.
• Habitat

  Fish Crows live along the coasts and inland along major freshwater rivers and lakes. You may find Fish Crows in a wide variety of habitats near water, often in towns and cities near parks, docks, and landfills. They share many habitats with American Crows.