8 
BULLETIN 621, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
them reported to contain over 100,000 birds. Here the open water 
maintained by most of these streams throughout the winter and the 
extensive tidal flats within easy reach of these rendezvous assure 
the crows a fairly ample supply of food. In the Middle West a 
greater region of favorable winter habitat has permitted the birds 
to establish their roosts over a much broader area. As in the East, 
the winter crows of the Mississippi Valley have selected a district well 
supplied with their customary winter food. Here the roosts of 
greatest size are found in southern Indiana, central Illinois, and 
westward along the Missouri River, while eastern Kansas and north- 
ern Oklahoma also support vast numbers. During fall and early 
Fig. 1. — Map showing location of crow roosts known to have been occupied in 
the winter of 1911-12. 
spring the northern States from Maine west to the Plains harbor 
many migrants, which form, at times, temporary roosts of consid- 
erable size. From December to the middle of February, however, 
the birds which frequent these States are comparatively few in 
number and their roosts seldom contain over a few hundred indi- 
viduals. The more important of these may be found along the coast 
of Maine and in west-central New York, in the vicinity of Seneca 
and Cayuga Lakes. In the South the largest colonies are found 
along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and are made up probably of 
birds resident in the Southern States which have congregated at 
favorable spots. Fish crows often form the bulk of the population 
of southern roosts, and in fact are common in colonies as far north 
as Maryland. On the Pacific coast, owing probably to the milder 
winter climate, the roosts are found at higher latitudes, the coastal 
region about Puget Sound being an area particularly well supplied. 
