General Information
American crows are abundant in Ohio and throughout most of the United States. They can live in almost any type of habitat that has a sufficient number of trees for roosting and open land for foraging. With the clearing of many of Ohio’s woodlands, crow populations have increased slightly in Ohio over the last 45 years. However, crows have been among the bird species most highly affected by the West Nile virus. Researchers are still not sure why crows are so susceptible to this virus.
American crows are very social animals and will live together in family groups for many years. They are monogamous and often don’t breed until they are at least 4 years old. Young crows will stay with their parents for years after they are born, helping to raise their siblings each year. American crows are year-long residents in Ohio, with some migrating slightly south for the winter.
Meet Our Crows
Two crows, Rook and Roxy, live in the Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden—Presented by KeyBank at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
Rook
Rook the American crow was born in June 2007. He was found as a youngster by someone who tried to hand-raise him as a pet. Weeks after, he was surrendered to the Penitentiary Glen Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Kirtland, Ohio. Since Rook had been raised by humans and not his family of crows, he imprinted on people. Rook has no fear of humans and relies on people for food, water, and shelter. Penitentiary Glen Wildlife Rehabilitation Center deemed Rook unreleasable, and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History gave him a permanent home in the Perkins Wildlife Center.
Roxy
Roxy the American crow was brought to the Medina Raptor Center after landing on someone’s shoulder in Parma, Ohio. She had jesses (leather straps traditionally used in falconry) around her ankles, so it was assumed she had escaped or been released from some captive situation. Since Roxy had most likely been in captivity, she was very dependent on humans for survival. In addition, her inside left digit was broken and healed poorly. Deemed unreleasable, she came to live at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in December 2007.
Lifespan
Wild: 7–8 years
Captivity: Up to 30 years
Fun Facts