What Do Crows Eat? A Complete Guide to Their Diet
Many people believe that crows consume carrion and even peck at corpses, but this is clearly a misunderstanding of them.
Crows are among the most intelligent and adaptive birds in the world. They can survive in a variety of locations due to their incredibly adaptable dietary habits and superior survival skills.
What do crows eat? How do they gather food? Let us take a closer look at the beautiful dining world of crows.
What do crows eat?
From crowded city streets to remote forest parks, crows will not let go of anything they can eat. They are masters of foraging in nature.
Their dietary sources are extremely diverse, and the following are the types of foods they will select.
1. Plant-based food:
Various grains and seeds
Crops such as corn, wheat, and oats. Sometimes they will choose seeds of some wild plants.
Various vegetables
Tender shoots and rhizomes of some plants, or green vegetables, fruits, etc.
Nuts
Walnuts, acorns, chestnuts
Fruits
Cherries, blueberries, grapes, watermelons and other common berries in the wild.
2. Animal-based food
Insects
Various types of insects, such as beetles, earthworms, snails, spiders, etc. Insects can provide rich protein for young birds during the breeding season.
Small birds
Including bird eggs and young birds, and even small birds that prey on adult birds. For example, Robins, jays, sparrows, etc. are all in the crow's diet.
Rodents
Such as mice, voles, etc.
Amphibians
Such as frogs, toads, etc.
Reptiles
Lizards, snakes, etc.
Fish
Some fish in shallow waters
Animal carcasses
Crows are important scavengers in nature. They will eat the carcasses of all kinds of animals, including those killed by vehicles.
3. Food related to humans
Human food scraps
Kitchen waste, leftovers, etc.
Pet food
Cat food, dog food, etc.
Farm feed
Feed for farm animals such as cattle and pigs
How do crows open walnuts?
Although crows are not picky eaters, research have revealed that they prefer plant-based foods, particularly nuts such as walnuts.
But, given how hard walnuts are, how do crows open them?
This is related to their extremely high IQ. A bird research found that crows have the highest bird intelligence. They've devised numerous methods for consuming walnuts.
The first way: throwing from a high place
Crows will hold the walnuts in their beaks before flying to a higher location and throwing them down. If they don't succeed the first time, they can try again and the walnuts will break open.
The second way: use cars
Some alert crows discovered a more convenient and effective tool-the car. They put the walnuts on the road and wait for the tires of passing vehicles to crush them. This procedure is both effective and labor-saving.
Do crows eat squirrels?
Yes, squirrels are also on crows’ menu.
However, eating squirrels is not common. It will only happen under certain circumstances.
For example, crows will catch sick or injured squirrels, or there are squirrel carcasses by the roadside.
Do crows store food?
Yes, they are very smart.
Crows will strategically hide food in the event of an emergency. They will even carefully choose a storage site for food.
Choose the best storage location
Crows like to hide their food under fallen leaves, in the soil, in tree holes, or even under rocks. Interestingly, they use fallen leaves, scraps of paper, and so on to cover it up. They even replant the grass that has been moved to hide the food to completely cover the storage area.
However, many careless crows just put their food somewhere without bothering to hide it. Don't be surprised if you find something strange on the roof, as most of them are brought by crows.
Adequate anti-theft awareness
Some crows exhibit a strong sense of self-protection. When they know their storage place has been found, they will immediately move the food to another safe place.
For instance, the large-billed crow is highly sensitive to vision. If they suspect that someone or some animal is watching them, they will grab their food and fly to another place to hide.
What do you feed crows in your yard?
Crows occasionally visit people's backyards. If you wish to view these intelligent birds up close, the following foods are popular in households and preferred by crows:
Peanuts
Whether in the shell or without the shell, peanuts are a good choice.
Sunflower seeds
This seed is also popular with crows.
Unseasoned bread crumbs
Not adding seasonings will be better for their health.
Fruit
Put some watermelons, blueberries, etc
Of course, if you place a smart bird feeder in your backyard, you can also use it to observe crows more closely.
Tip: Please keep crows from becoming unduly dependent on people. Overfeeding may impair crows' capacity to forage in the wild. Please keep these lovely birds in their original state.
Conclusion
Far from being mere scavengers, crows are remarkably intelligent and adaptable birds with an extraordinarily diverse diet. From cracking nuts using vehicles to strategically concealing food, their resourcefulness is truly impressive. Their varied eating habits highlight their capacity to thrive in nearly any environment, establishing them as true masters of survival.