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Crow life cycle is one of the fascinating things to learn about. Have you ever thought about the stages from egg-laying to birth, to growth and the death of crows? That’s all that the crow life cycle entails.
The crow is considered the most intelligent bird globally due to its ability to mimic several sounds up to 150 various sounds with its ability to learn. The crows are the most loyal birds to their mate and usually live as a family. Male and female crows collaborate to raise their young ones.
Today we will be discussing the crow lifecycle ranging from nest building, mating, egg-laying, incubation, hatching, fledging, growth to death.
Still, due to the forty different species of crows available across the globe, we will be using the American crow to discuss the crow lifecycle:
American Crow Lifecycle Stages
Nest Building
Nest building is the first stage of the American crow lifecycle; female and male crows build nests using twigs, feathers, grasses, sticks, leaves, moss, bark, mud, clay, and straw. The nest-building stage usually takes place in early March until June until the nest fails.
A new nest has dimensions of 1.5 ft across and 8-10 ft deep; the huge sizes allow crows to live with their young ones as a family.
Usually, when they finish constructing their nests, crows line the cup with soft materials such as grass, moss, flowers, paper, fur, and tree bark. The nest construction process takes two weeks, once every year, to prepare a place for egg-laying.
Crows usually construct nests at places where they can see their predators prevent their chicks from being eaten.
Mating
Mating is a crucial stage in the American crow life cycle; without mating, eggs laid by female crows would be infertile, making them not get young ones. Male crows remain faithful to their partner until he has another mate.
Young female crows find their mates at an average age of 2 years. Female crows start mating at an average of 3.3 years and males four years. Mating usually takes place in spring to the early summer.
Egg Laying
At this stage of the American crow life cycle, female crows lay an average of 6 eggs daily. They do not lay their eggs on the ground but the ready new constructed nest.
In some cases, the koel can lay its egg(s) in the crow’s nest within the six-day duration when crows should lay theirs.
In situations where the parasite lays eggs before the host, the eggs are likely to be rejected.
Incubation
At this stage of the crow life cycle, the female crow sits on the eggs in the nest to provide the warmth necessary for hatching.
During incubation, the male feeds the female crow by bringing food for them; when the male’s food is not enough for the female, the female leaves the nest where the male comes in to sit on the eggs.
The incubation period takes place for an average of 18 days, depending on the humidity conditions of the surrounding. After 18 days of incubation, new chicks are born free from fur and blind.
Hatchling
At this stage of the American crow life cycle, the young baby crow weighs approximately 1/4 ounce. Their eyes open after two weeks. By four weeks, the chicks start to walk.
At this point, they are ready to leave the nest. Parents continue to feed the chicks until they can fly. Both parents share responsibilities in raising young.
If the mother dies, the father lifts the chicks alone may also present them with help from other males. Scientists believe that young crows grow faster at this stage than at any other.
Fledging
Fledging is the sage of the crow life cycle where young crows fully develop feathers. Fledging usually occurs at a maximum of seven weeks of age in young crows.
The young crows learn to fly; you can often see young crows learning to fly, especially if you are a crow enthusiast.
During this stage, parents continue feeding their young ones until they are fully independent. At this stage, the growth rate is retarded compared to the first month of the young crows.
Growth
The growth stage of the crow life cycle is considered as the time in between when the young crows start fledging to when they start mating to develop their own family. The crows usually live in the murder, a group of crows as a family.
Young crows start identifying their mates at the age of 2 years for females and males at an average of 3.5 years.
It is fascinating to learn that the crows identify their partners through the males feeding female crows using their beaks where the female crows open up their beaks.
Death
Death can terminate a crow life cycle at an average of 15 years of age, where premature death does not happen. Remember, predators and diseases can cause sudden death to all animals, including crows.
Without diseases and predators that can cause premature death, a crow can live up to 20 years. Aging crows may depend on the other mature family members to help them feed at some point in life.
Older crows living in small families may die quicker than those surrounded by many relatives taking care of them.
Crow Diseases
Crows are susceptible to diseases such as avian cholera, avian pox, and psittacine herpesvirus. More so, predators are a common cause of death for crows.
Read below to know more about these diseases and predators:
- Avian Cholera
This disease causes diarrhea and dehydration. It spreads through droppings.
- Avian Pox
This disease causes sores on the skin. It spreads through direct contact.
- Psittacine Herpesvirus
This virus causes respiratory infections. It spreads through coughing and sneezing.
- Predators
Crows are preyed upon by hawks, owls, eagles, foxes, raccoons, snakes, weasels, cats, dogs, coyotes, humans, and domestic livestock.
A Few More Facts on American Crow Life Cycle
- Breeding Season
Breeding season begins in March and continues into May.
- Reproductive Behavior
Crows mate during the spring and summer. Mating occurs in trees and shrubs. Courtship involves fluttering wings, wing-shaking, and tail fanning.
After mating, the female lays between 6 and 10 eggs. She will apply more if she does not have enough food. The male helps incubate the eggs and broods the chicks.
- Eggs And Chick Care
After laying her eggs, the female crow stays nearby to protect them. She keeps watching over the nest until the chick’s hatch. Chicks remain in the nest for about three weeks.
During this period, the mother feeds the chicks. Once the chicks leave the nest, the mother no longer cares for them.
When the chicks first hatch, they don’t know how to fly. Their parents teach them how to do so. Chicks learn to fly by following their parents around.
The mother remains with the young until they can fend for themselves. Then she leaves them alone.
- Mortality Rates
The mortality rate for crows ranges from 20% to 50%. Predation is the most common cause of death. Other causes include starvation, disease, parasites, and accidents.
- Older Crows Can Help Their Parents Raise Their Young Ones
As crows age, they become less likely to attack other birds. Older crows also help raise younger ones. However, the aging crow can obviously fight back when attacked to save its life.
Conclusion
The crow life cycle is an important topic about the crow being the most intelligent bird ever discovered. Their life cycle depicts how organized and thoughtful the crows are.
As discussed, the crow life cycle starts at nest building, mating, egg-laying, incubation, hatching, fledging, growth and ends at death.
Learning the crow life cycle is interesting to show how intelligent the crows are. If you have been seeking knowledge about the crow life cycle, this article will be helpful to you. Leave your comments below!
