Northwestern Crow

The Northwestern Crow is a small, entirely black corvid found along the coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest, from Washington's Puget Sound north through coastal British Columbia and southeastern Alaska. It is extremely similar in appearance to the American Crow, and the two forms are so alike genetically that some ornithological authorities have proposed merging them as a single species.

Wherever it occurs, this crow is closely tied to marine shorelines, where it forages extensively along the tideline for shellfish and other coastal food, often seen dropping mussels and clams onto rocks to break them open.

Key Field Marks

• Entirely glossy black plumage, essentially identical to American Crow
• Slightly smaller overall size on average
• Voice is somewhat lower and hoarser than American Crow, though calls overlap extensively
• Strong association with rocky shorelines and tidelines

Similar Species

• American Crow is virtually identical in appearance and the two are extremely difficult to distinguish reliably away from range and habitat clues; some taxonomic treatments consider them the same species.
• Common Raven is much larger with a wedge-shaped tail and heavier bill.

Habitat

Northwestern Crows are closely tied to coastal habitats, including rocky shorelines, beaches, tidal flats, and adjacent coastal forest and towns.

Range

Found along the Pacific coast from the Puget Sound region of Washington north through coastal British Columbia to southeastern Alaska.

Migration

This species is largely non-migratory, remaining resident along the coast year-round.

Behavior

Northwestern Crows forage extensively along shorelines at low tide, taking shellfish, crabs, and other invertebrates, and are known to drop hard-shelled prey like mussels and clams from a height onto rocks to crack them open.

Voice

Calls are similar to the American Crow's caw but tend to be somewhat lower-pitched and hoarser, though there is considerable overlap between the two.

Feeding

Diet includes mussels, clams, crabs, and other marine invertebrates, along with carrion, bird eggs, and human food scraps around coastal towns.

Nesting

Pairs build a stick nest in a tree or shrub near the shoreline; the female incubates 3-7 blue-green, spotted eggs.