The Migration of North American Birds 



SECOND SERIES 



IX. CROWS 



Compiled by Harry C. Oberholser, Chiefly from Data in the Biological Survey 



AMERICAN CROW 



The common American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) is one of our best- 

 known birds. In one or another of its forms, it occurs at some season over 

 practically all of the United States and over all but the northernmost parts 

 of Canada. It is, however, of more or less infrequent occurrence in the arid 

 parts of the western United States. In the northern portion of its range it is 

 only a summer resident; almost everywhere else it remains throughout the year. 

 It is divided into five geographic races, the ranges of which are given below. 

 In the A. 0. U. check list the Southern Crow is included with the American 

 Crow; and the Northwestern Crow appears there as a full species. 



The American Crow {Corvus brachyrhynchos brachyrhynchos) breeds in 

 northeastern North America, north to Newfoundland, central Quebec, central 

 Keewatin, and northwestern Mackenzie; west to northern Alberta, Minnesota, 

 and northwestern Texas; south to north central Texas, Missouri, Iowa, and 

 New Jersey. It winters from about the northern border of the United States 

 south to a short distance beyond the southern limit of its summer range. 



The Southern Crow {Corvus brachyrhynchos paulus) is resident in the 

 eastern United States, north to Maryland and southern Illinois, west to eastern 

 Texas, and south to the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and to northern Florida. 



The Florida Crow {Corvus brachyrhynchos pascuus) is confined to the 

 southern portion of Florida, where it is permanently resident. 



The Western Crow {Corvus brachyrhynchos hesperis) is resident in the 

 western United States and southwestern Canada, north to Montana and central 

 British Columbia; west to central Washington and western California; south 

 to Wisconsin and New Mexico; and east to New Mexico and North Dakota. 



The Northwestern Crow {Corvus brachyrhynchos caurinus) is resident 

 on the Pacific slope of northwestern North America from Kadiak Island and 

 the Alaska Peninsula, Alaska, south to Neah Bay in northwestern Washington. 



In the following tables, records of the Western Crow are marked with an 

 asterisk (*) ; all the others refer to the common American Crow. 



SPRING MIGRATION 



LOCALITY 



Schuyler Lake, N. Y 



Oswego, N. Y 



Charlotte, Vt 



Rutland, Vt 



Wells River, Vt 



Number 



of years' 



record 



Average date of 

 spring arrival 



Earliest date of 

 spring arrival 



5 

 i6 



12 

 ID 



8 



February 15 

 March 6 

 March i 

 January 24 

 February 26 



January 31, 1889 

 Rare in winter 

 Rare in winter 

 Rare in winter 

 February 16, 191 2 



(100) 



