Hobbies And Interests
American Crow
American crows are large, like all black birds from the genus corvus. They are found throughout North America. They have thick necks, straight, heavy bills and broad wings. When they fly, the feathers at the tips of their wings spread out like fingers. Extremely social, they sometimes form flocks with millions of members. They are extremely intelligent, inquisitive and sometimes mischievous problem-solvers. They've been observed stealing from garbage cans and eating out of old food containers. Highly aggressive, they often chase away herons, hawks, owls and other large birds. They are typically found in woodlands, forests and fields. They do well around people and are also found in parking lots, lawns, athletic fields, garbage dumps and other parts of the urban landscape.
Common Raven
The common raven is another large, all black bird from the genus corvus. It resembles a crow but is much larger. Ravens can be as large as a red-tailed hawk. They have shaggy throat feathers, thick necks, Bowie knife-shaped beaks and wedge-shaped tails. They are generally slimmer than crows and have narrower, longer wings. The finger-like feathers at the tips of their wings are also thinner. They aren't as social as crows and are typically found in pairs rather than large flocks. They are known for the intelligence and problem-solving abilities. Ravens are found in forests, woodlands, deserts, tundras, grasslands and coastal areas. They do well around humans but are more common in rural areas than towns or cities.
New World Blackbirds
In North America, blackbird is the common name for several birds from the Icteridae family. Examples include the yellow-headed blackbird, the red-winged blackbird and the Brewer's blackbird. They typically travel in flocks except in the mating season. Many species mate with multiple partners. However, this behavior varies by species and circumstances. For example, male Brewer's blackbirds only mate with multiple females when there are more females than males. They only take one mate when there are equal numbers of males and females. Their flocks can sometimes contain 5 million members and they can damage crops while foraging for food. However, they eat a variety of insect pests.
Old World Blackbirds
In the eastern hemisphere, blackbird is the common name for a species from the Turdidae or thrush family found throughout Europe, Asia and Africa, New Zealand and Australia. Male blackbirds have black feathers, yellow to orange bills, yellow eye rings, black eyes and dark legs. Females have brown feathers, dark bills and dark legs. Blackbirds are often found in gardens, orchards, vineyards and parks. They often damage the vegetation as they search for food such as snails, insects, spiders, fruit and seeds.