Date: 4/9/25 3:00 pm From: Josh Gant <joshua.m.gant...> Subject: Re: [JERSEYBI] Corvus species overlaps in central NJ
Hello fellow bird enthusiasts,
I work on the east edge of the pine barren in Ocean County at Wells Mills County Park, close to the ocean but not right on the water. We have 2 Ravens that frequent the park and the surrounding area. The speculation is they are nesting somewhere close by.
I have seen them feeding on carrion on the side of the road many times before, sometimes with Vultures and also with American Crows. The pair usually can be found be flying along rt 539 heading North or South looking for roadkill. They rarely interact with the 2 Fish Crows that nest at Well Mills off of the pink trail. The Fish Crows usually nest in the tops of tall pines on the property.
During the winter we have a large flock of American Crows on the yellow trail. They also do not interact with the ravens very much. Surprising how these three closely related birds have differing habits and really don't seem to interact very much around my area.
Josh Gant
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From: JerseyBirds <JERSEYBI...> on behalf of Doctor Science <science.dr...>
Sent: Monday, April 7, 2025 12:53 AM
To: <JERSEYBI...> <JERSEYBI...>
Subject: [JERSEYBI] Corvus species overlaps in central NJ
Last Wednesday I was sitting on my back deck in northern Hopewell
Township (Mercer County), when in the course of 15 minutes I saw & heard
*all three* Corvus species: American Crow, Fish Crow, Common Raven. It
was a very educational compare & contrast!
But it got me wondering: how do these three species sort out living
together these days? I say "these days" because Fish Crows are expanding
their range inland, so having so much overlap with AMCR is relatively
new. And CORA has only returned to NJ in numbers in recent decades as
farming has declined and the tendency of farmers to shoot black birds as
varmints has faded.
I know that in my yard and surrounding properties the AMCRs are
permanent residents, I hear them most days. Ravens & Fish Crows are
occasional visitors, but shouldn't this be nesting season, with birds
sticking close to home? It may be these are young, unmated birds, out
looking for trouble while the older birds are nesting--it takes Corvus
2-3 years to reach sexual maturity, and may be even longer before they
first breed.
So, fellow central Jersey birders, what kind of ecological separation
have you been seeing between our three Corvus species? Are they
feeding/flying in similar areas, but nesting in different ones? I'm
talking especially about parts of the state that aren't close to any
large river or the ocean, nor the highlands.
Poking around the scientific literature, there are some indications that
CORA prefers rocks, cliffs, buildings, bridges; AMCR prefers evergreens;
FICR deciduous trees; but those are statistical preferences, not
hard-and-fast rules. As for food, they're all opportunistic omnivores, I
don't know how much separation there is around here. Though I haven't
seen CORA feeding on roadkill, a common practice for AMCR. It's possible
Ravens think roadkill is just too dangerous. I haven't noticed any of
them joining vultures at big carrion-eating parties when a deer dies in
a field.
