American Crow

This is a classic corvid feather, sturdy and deep black. The American Crow is a large, all-black passerine with a heavy bill and a wingspan of about 3 feet. Known for their intelligence and 'caw-caw' vocalizations, they are highly social birds.

Uniformly iridescent black/charcoal on the dorsal surface with a subtle violet or blue sheen visible in direct light. The ventral (underside) is a more matte, duller grey-black. The base of the feather shows a lighter, brownish-grey downy section.

Tightly interlocked pennaceous barbs throughout most of the vane for flight efficiency, transitioning to loose, plumulaceous barbs at the base (calamus area).

Smooth and somewhat stiff along the vane with a glossy, light-reflective surface. The trailing edge is softer than the leading edge, and the base is very soft and downy.

Solid black coloration with a faint iridescent sheen, rounded tip, and a dark rachis that doesn't fade to white until the very quill base.

Extremely versatile; found in open woodlands, agricultural fields, city parks, suburban yards, and shorelines.

Year-round resident throughout most of the contiguous United States and southern Canada; northern-most populations migrate south during harsh winters.

Omnivorous scavengers and predators; they play a vital role in cleaning up carrion and controlling insect populations, while also acting as prey for large hawks and owls.

Fish Crow (C. ossifragus) - nearly identical but slightly smaller; Common Raven (C. corax) - much larger with a more wedge-shaped tail and thicker rachis.

Crows are known to recognize individual human faces and can communicate to other crows whether a person is a threat or a friend.

Good condition; minor fraying (veiling) is visible along the edges, suggesting it may have been molted naturally rather than lost to trauma.