Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

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Abundance: Common at all seasons; recorded in all Regional counties (Map of UCR Distribution); the Regional breeding population is undoubtedly stable (see also Regional Bird-Monitoring Plan).

Status: Permanent Resident.

Regional High Count and CBC/CBB High Count: 5677 (14 December 2002; Putnam County, Tennessee [Cookeville CBC]; m. ob.; see also Remarks [below]); FBC/FBB High Count: 713 (3 October 2009; White County, Tennessee [FBC]; m. ob.); SBC/SBB High Count: 355 (12 May 2007 and 8 May 2010; Putnam County, Tennessee [SBC]; m. ob.).

Breeding: Confirmed (Recent).

Habitat: x

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: Registered on 116 (of 125) monthly check-lists during 2003 and on 203 (of 206) check-lists during 2004, leading to a YardWatch frequency classification of Common during each year; this YardWatch frequency classification is consistent with the overall Regional abundance classification for the crow.

Foray Results: A summary of data from UCR Forays follows (to view a map displaying foray data for a county or a sub-Region for this species, click on the name of an underlined county or state below):

* Because some foray blocks fall into two or three counties, the total of blocks in the Kentucky or Tennessee portions of the Region is less than the sum of the blocks in the counties of each portion of the Region; similarly, because some blocks fall into both states, the total of blocks for the Region is less than the sum of the blocks in the two states.

Remarks: The Regional High Count (above) was obtained as a result of counting crows at a roost site within the Cookeville city limits during the 14 December 2002 Cookeville CBC conducted in Putnam County, Tennessee.  No other evidence of crow roosts has come to light Regionally, but there are probably similar-sized roost sites in most counties of the Region during winter.  Crows often roost in cities or other areas with bright lights to avoid or limit predation by Great Horned Owls.

Check-lists of Birds for the Counties of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of each county of the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed by clicking on the links below. For each county, there are two check-lists: one list that shows the species that have been observed and where possible documented in the county within the larger list for the entire Region; and one list that includes only the species observed in the county with annotations for the date and observers for at least one sighting (the ultimate goal of the latter list will be to include annotations for the very first known Regional observation of each species in that county; this goal is probably one that will take many years to complete, if completion is even a possibility). To see if the species discussed in this species account has been observed in a county, click below or click on the link for the Map of UCR Distribution near the top of the page.

Check-lists of Birds for Some Public Access Birding Sites of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of some public access birding sites within the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed via the links below. To see if the species dealt with in this species account has been observed within any of these sites, click on the appropriate link below. See the pages for each county within the Gazetteer for links to additional smaller public access birding sites with check-lists in progress.

Literature Cited