THE CROW AS A MENACE TO POULTRY RAISING. 
LEON J. COLE. 
That the common crow (Corvus brackyrhynchos ) is a not infre¬ 
quent despoiler of the nests of other birds has long been known, 
while his attacks upon poultry and eggs were among the grievances 
held against him by the early settlers. It is perhaps, not generally 
appreciated that the crow is distinctly omnivorous, and that under 
natural conditions a large proportion of its food consists of animal 
matter. According to Borrows and Schwarz,* roughly speaking, 
one-third of the food of crows consists of animal matter; during 
certain months, especially April and May, the proportion of animal 
food consumed is nearly double, while in the fall and winter it is 
correspondingly less. 
The crow’s depredations upon poultry consist almost entirely in 
the destruction of eggs and the killing of the young. Adult fowls 
are probably seldom attacked unless sick and weakened. The eggs 
of the turkey, which is commonly allowed to roam and select its 
nesting site far removed from the house or poultry yard, are es¬ 
pecially liable to destruction by crows. They do frequently, how¬ 
ever, attack chicks, young turkeys and even goslings. Interesting 
accounts of the methods employed by the crows to evade the vigilant 
care of the parents, are given in the bulletin of which mention has 
just been made (see section on “Destruction of eggs and young of 
poultry,” pp. 37-40.) It is reported that crows sometimes attack 
even such large animals as sheep and swine. 
Serious depredations of crows upon poultry and eggs appear to 
* Harrows. Walter B., and E. A. Schwarz. “The common crow of the United States.” U. 
S. Dept. Agric., Div, Ornith. and Mam., Bull. No. G, 98 pp. Washington, 1895. 
