What Do Crows Eat?

Crows are synonymous with intelligence and cunning. They’re also, however, voracious eaters that’ll consume almost anything they come across. The most common question people have about crows is, “What do crows eat?” Below we’ll answer that question in detail, as well as provide some important information about crows’ diet and feeding habits.

The Basics: What Do Crows Eat?

At their core, crows are omnivores. This means they’ll eat both meat and vegetation. The types of food they seek out, however, can vary dramatically depending on their location and the season.

In general, the diet of a crow is a combination of animals and plants. Crows are highly opportunistic feeders, which means they’ll take advantage of any food item that’s readily available. That includes anything from worms and insects to fruits, vegetables, and even human food waste.

Foraging for Animal Protein

Crows often hunt for animal protein, such as worms, insects, and other small creatures. They’ll scavenge for food in grassy areas or areas with dense foliage. They may also feed on carrion, such as the carcasses of dead animals.

Crows are also fearless hunters. They’ll hunt small animals, such as frogs, fish, and snakes, as well as nestlings and eggs. They even attack small birds, if the opportunity presents itself.

Finding Vegetable Sources of Food

Crows aren’t picky about their plant-based food sources. They’ll eat anything from fruits and berries to corn, grains, and nuts. During the winter months, crows will often search for food in agricultural areas, where they can find crops and other food sources like grains.

In urban areas, crows will also feed on things like bread crusts, pasta, chips, and other food waste. They aren’t above scavenging for food in garbage bins and dumpsters.

Taking Advantage of Human Food Sources

Crows are highly adaptive and will gladly take advantage of food sources provided by humans. Crows living in urban areas may be more likely to feed on human sources of food, such as bread crusts and chips. People also intentionally feed crows, typically by throwing out scraps or seeds.

Although this may seem like a harmless activity, it can be problematic. Human-fed crows eventually lose their natural fear of people and may become aggressive in their pursuit of food. It’s important that people don’t encourage this behavior.

Conclusion

Crows are omnivorous creatures that will eat nearly anything they can get their beaks on. Their diet is mostly comprised of a combination of plants and animals, such as fruits and berries, worms and insects, and even small animals such as frogs. Crows living in urban areas may be especially likely to feed on human sources of food. Although providing food for crows can seem like a harmless activity, it can present some problems. Ultimately, it’s best to leave the feeding of crows to Mother Nature.