Crows are members of the Corvid family including the ravens and the rook. Crows are birds that are considered intelligent when it comes to finding food for themselves or protecting themselves from predators.
There are almost 35 species of birds with crow in their common name. However, when it comes to the lifespan of the crows, these birds cannot survive their initial years.
But if they survive these initial years, then their lifespan can be long. And In this article, I’ve covered all the facts related to the lifespan of crows in detail.
How Long Do Crows Live?
The lifespan of the crows depends on various factors that include species of crows and whether they are living in captivity or wild.
However, generally, the lifespan of crows ranges between 7 to 8 years. But this may get increased as per the species of the crow.
A crow requires warm or temperature climates with mild winters, ample food supplies, and few predators to live a long life. Here are the details of the lifespan of various species of crows:
American Crow
The lifespan of the American crows is generally 7 to 8 years in the wild. But some crows have been recorded to reach 15 to 30 years of age.
The oldest American crow was 59 years old. His name was Tata. Many ornithologists say that crows reaching that age is possible.
Carrion Crow
The lifespan of the carrion crow ranges between 4 to 7 years in the wild. But they were recorded to reach the age of 12 to 14 years as well.
These crows are amongst the shortest-lived crows as they can live only 4-6 years in many situations. For these crows, 10 years is a very long life.
Torresian Crow
The lifespan data for the Torresian crows is not available. But as per some little reliable data, these crows can live for some 20 years in the wild.
Hooded Crow
The lifespan of the hooded crows is around 7 to 8 years and the oldest Hooded crow in the wild is recorded to have lived until 14 years.
Hooded crows can rarely surpass the lifespan of 15 years in the wild.
How long do Crows live in the wild?
The lifespan of the crows in the wild is less and sometimes they can’t even reach 1 year and die before they get sexually mature.
Sexual maturity among these birds comes between 2 to 4 years of age. A study suggests that the survival rate of the American crows is 11%.
89% of the American crows fail to reach their breeding age. It was found that one in twenty Torresian crows survive their first year of independence.
If a crow survives its early years, then it may live a long life of 10 to 15 years. But 7 to 8 years is more common. While some species like Carrion crow can live up to only 4 to 7 years.
How long do Crows live in captivity?
When a crow lives in captivity, they avoid most of the hazards that threaten their lives in their younger years. This includes predators, infections, diseases, and parasites.
The lifespan of the crows doubles when they live in captivity. The oldest living American Crow in captivity is recorded to live more than 25 years in captivity. The carrion crow is recorded to live for 20 years or more.
How do Crows die?
Most of the crows die as nestlings, fledglings, or hatchlings. The main reasons for the death of the crows include starvation, predation, and diseases.
Some species of the crows such as the American crow are more susceptible to viral infections.
Who is the Predator of a Crow?
There are few natural predators of the crows and it includes predators such as owls, eagles, falcons, and hawks.
The young crows are more prone to threats that include mink, foxes, wild cats, raccoons, and other predatory animals. They are also targeted by eagles, buzzards, owls, and hawks.
Do Crows grieve?
Crows and other corvid species are observed to hold funerals for their dead. These processions are similar to the real thing.
It often involves the synchronous movements between the attendees that seem to stand in solemn remembrance of their fallen one.
It was even seen that some corvids bring offerings of petals and blades of grass to the dead.
One theory suggests that the crows have a morbid fascination that allows the crows to inspect the body of the dead one and learn the cause of the death.
Crows are intelligent and they can easily know what happened to the crow and whether they need to be cautious or not.
What is the Oldest Crow known?
A male crow named Tata was the oldest crow who ever lived. Tata was born in 1947 and died in 2006 in Bearsville. This makes him the age of 59 by the time of his death.
However, the lifespan of Tata was not officially verified and it was exceptionally old. The owners of Tata said that he was still a very aware and energetic bird until his death.
He would even still call to the other crows outside. Tata was taken into care when he gets injured in a Long Island cemetery.
However, he was transferred to his new owners in 2001 and he remained there until his death.
Can a crow live 500 years?
No, the crows can’t live 500 years. No terrestrial animal can live this long. The oldest animal that can live for some 500 years is the quahog clam.
Conclusion
Crows are considered intelligent birds which are often symbolized by bad luck. But, crows are also petted by many people and their lifespan gets increased in captivity.
The lifespan of the crows can be 4-25 years. It varies as per the species of the crows.
At last, I hope this article may have helped you in some way. Thank You For Reading!
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