The American Crow is one of the most recognizable bird species in all of North America. As the days become shorter in fall, crows do something both strange and quite fascinating. Just before sunset, long lines of crows can be observed overhead, some numbering in the thousands, traveling together en route to a large communal roost along Interstate 84 in Hartford.
Before going to roost in Hartford, crows typically collect in an enormous noisy flock along the Park River. Some of the largest and oldest trees in Hartford are found near the river and are very attractive to roost-searching crows. From there, they settle down close to the Interstate, and like magic, become silent for the night.
Most of these crows spend the better part of the day on the outskirts of town foraging in farmland and neighborhoods before returning for the evening.
American Crows belong to a family of birds called Corvidae which include other familiar species like Blue Jays, Fish Crows and Common Ravens. Crows and other corvids are highly intelligent and crafty birds. They are opportunistic, and most thrive living among humans. Remarkably, all four of these species now occur in Hartford!
If you would like to experience the crow roost first hand, I would suggest a visit to the Walmart parking lot off of Flatbush Avenue around 3:30pm. This will allow an up close and personal look at this amazing spectacle.
The annual Hartford Christmas Bird Count was conducted on December 18th, 2010, an estimated 20,000 crows were counted that day coming to roost.
Most people refer to a large assemblage of crows as a flock. Another term less likely to be used is murder, A Murder of Crows. Murder is an old expression which may allude to the crow’s traditional association with gatherings around sick and dying animals.
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