Date:         Sun, 17 Mar 2002 17:05:42 EST
Reply-To:     Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender:       Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From:         Jim Stasz <Jlstasz@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Lots of crows building nests
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Hi Folks!

Fish Crows are still rather abundant in Maryland in winter, but the
distribution is quite different from the breeding season.  Large crow roosts
in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Montgomery, and Dorchester counties have lots of
Fish Crows in with American Crows.  In winter, if you want a Fish Crow for
certain, just visit any landfill.  Brown Staion Landfill in Prince George's
hosts many hundreds every winter.  Several thousand might be seen at one time
at Salisbury Landfill in Wicomico.  In winter, dawn brings a large stream of
Fish Crows crossing the Bay in the vicinity of the Bay Bridge.  On winter
afternoons, thousands pass west over Deal I. WMA in Somerset Co. to the
roosts in southern Dorchester.

When nesting season begins, American Crows typically form pairs.  This
behavior may lead us to believe that they have started first.  Fish Crows,
however, rarely occur as pairs and form small social groups of 4-8 birds.  I
have one such group ever year near my house and enjoy watching them interact.
 They seen to be much more vocal [conversant?] than American Crows.

With a lot of practice, you can identify individual crows to species by
structure and flight and not need to hear it call.  Fish Crows flap a bit
faster, look much more grackle-like when perched, and have relatively thin
tarsi [the leg bones just above the feet].   Marshall and I spent time
checking crows perched along highways: if perched on a wire, it is almst
certainly a Fish,; American Crows tend to perch on the poles.

Good Birding!

Jim

Jim Stasz
North Beach MD
jlstasz@aol.com

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