Crows, and their poop, descend on downtown Fresno every winter. A birder tells us why

When they aren’t out learning to use tools or disrupting crime scenes, crows are known to get together and roost, especially in the winter, when thousands of the birds gather together to provide warmth and safety and a free exchange of helpful info — like where to find food and escape threats.

“American Crows are omnivorous and opportunistic,” says Rachel Clark, president of the Fresno Audubon Society.

So, they roost in areas with warmer temperatures, reduced risk of predation and availability of food sources, like garbage scraps, Clark says.

“Which, of course, are easy to come by in cityscapes.”

In Fresno, that means downtown, where masses of the birds can be seen gathering daily just before dusk to roost in trees and on rooftops and electric lines. They can typically be seen beginning in late summer and disperse by late February, Clark says.

The Bee reached out to the Fresno Audubon Society to find out more:

Can you tell us a little about the birds? Are these the same birds we see in neighborhoods around town just gathering to roost at night?

“These are American Crows, members of the Corvid family, which are known for remarkable intelligence. American Crows are widespread, occurring throughout most of the lower 48 and a significant portion of Canada. They occur in both natural and human-created habitats, such as neighborhoods, parks and golf courses.

“They are similar in appearance to the Common Raven, which can also be found in Central California. Compared to Common Ravens, American Crows are smaller-bodied (17 inches vs. 24 inches), thinner-beaked, shorter-winged and shorter-tailed. American Crows have more square tails, whereas Common Ravens have more wedge-shaped tails.

“Here in the Central Valley, Common Ravens become more common in more open, less-developed areas, especially toward the foothills, where American Crows become less common.”

Where are these birds during the rest of the year?

“During the rest of the year, American Crows are dispersed across the landscape as they pair up to raise their young. They can be found in both developed and more rural areas, such as in parks, yards, vacant lots, cemeteries, landfills, riparian areas and beaches. American Crows prefer to place their nests in evergreen trees, but will also use deciduous trees.”

Why do the birds choose this particular piece for Fresno?

“While I cannot speak to exactly why they have chosen this particular area of Fresno, I do know that this species returns to the same roosts year after year because they remember things about it that make it suitable for them to come back to.”

While it is kind of scary/awesome seeing what might be hundreds of crows in a single small area, is this something that’s interesting, from a birders perspective?

“Seeing hundreds, or even thousands, of American Crows converging on their roost sites can be quite awe-inspiring, or ominous, depending on who you ask. It is definitely an interesting behavior to behold, but there can certainly be problems that arise from it, as these birds can be loud and quite messy.

“Large amounts of excrement left by roosting crows has been the cause of immense displeasure among people working and/or residing nearby. Experts recommend that those with health concerns related to excessive droppings contact their local health department.

“Anyone wanting to avoid encouraging American Crows from roosting nearby should keep their trash well-contained.”