Wherever we see a crow, we shudder a little, then look at it with a sense of admiration mixed with bewilderment. We admire it because who knows what that crow has seen in its hundreds of years of life. Hundreds? Yes, as everyone knows, crows live for 200 or even 500 years. Let’s fix it, not as everyone knows, but as everyone believes; Because in reality, crows cannot live a hundred years, let alone hundreds of years.
There are indeed some creatures living in our world, and they can live for hundreds of years. But the crow is not one of them. You will even be surprised, many crows die before they are 1 year old due to many different reasons such as hunger and disease. So, how did this unrelated urban legend come about? Let’s take a closer look at how long crows live and see how this misinformation spreads.
Let’s get to know the crows first:
Crows are winged creatures that are members of the Corvid family of the genus Corvus. They are extremely intelligent and have high survival skills. There are about 35 species of birds whose common names are crows. Wherever you go in the world, except for the Antarctic continent, you may encounter a crow species that has evolved according to the characteristics of that region.
Crows have an omnivorous diet. They feed on fruit, vegetables, seeds, grains, insects, carrion, invertebrates, bird eggs, baby birds and other baby animals they can hunt. They are social and defensive animals. They fight to protect their territory. Their life span varies according to the species and the environment in which they live.
How many years do crows live?
Although it varies according to the species and the environment in which it lives, the average life expectancy of a crow varies between 15 and 20 years. Most crows die in infancy. Crows living in a suitable region with climatic conditions and feeding structure can live much longer than crows that are fed domestically. However, there is not a single piece of evidence that crows live for hundreds of years.
Average lifespan of crows according to their species:
- american crow
- scavenger crow
- Torres crow
- hooded crow
american crow
The average lifespan of the crow species, known as the American crow, is 7 to 8 years. It has also been observed that some of its members live for 15 – 30 years. Life time; It varies according to its climate, natural predators and food-finding potential.
scavenger crow
The average lifespan of the crow species, known as the carrion crow, found in Western Europe and East Asia, is 4 to 7 years. It has also been observed that some members live 12 to 14 years. Life time; It varies according to its climate, natural predators and food-finding potential.
Torres crow
There is not much reliable data about the lifespan of the torres crow, also called the Australian crow and the papua crow, but it is known that the average lifespan in nature can be up to 20 years. Life time; It varies according to its climate, natural predators and food-finding potential.
hooded crow
The average lifespan of the hooded crow, which is a species with developed skills in urban conditions, forests, garbage dumps and similar environments, is 7 to 9 years. Some members have also been seen to live for 14 years. Life time; It varies according to its climate, natural predators and food-finding potential.
How long can crows live in the wild?
If you think that crows really live for hundreds of years, you may be a little surprised because many crows die in the wild when they are still babies. While most of them die before reaching the age of 1, most of them die before reaching sexual maturity at the age of 2 – 4 years. It is known that 89% of American crows die before reaching reproductive age.
Of course, the lifespan of crows in the wild varies according to the climate they are in, the number of natural predators in the region and their foraging potential. Even if a crow has caught very good conditions in nature by chance, the maximum lifespan will be 20 years. The maximum lifespan most see is 15 years, which is extremely long for them.
How long can domestic crows live?
Crows are wild animals and cage feeding is not suitable for them. However, some species have become accustomed to city life and people over time. Some of these species are kept as pets. Of course, as in the wild, hunters can live much longer because there is no cold and malnutrition.
Tata bears the title of the longest-lived crow ever. It is said that Tata was born in 1947 and died at the age of 59, living until 2006. According to ornithologists, it is possible for Tata, who lived in the Bearsville area of Woodstock town in the United States, to live for such a long time. Because crows have such genetic potential, but the wild nature inevitably shortens their lifespan.
Why do crows die?
Viral infections are the main reason why most crows die when they are young. Because all puppies before they reach reproductive age have a great susceptibility to such infections. At one time, an infection called West Nile virus was seen to wipe out 75% of American crows.
After diseases, the biggest cause of death for crows is their natural predators. Crows are prey for falcons, hawks, owls, eagles, minks, foxes, wild cats and many other predators. Another cause of death for crows is hunger. It is extremely difficult for a crow, especially a young, to survive the winter months if it is not in the right climate.
So why do we think crows live for hundreds of years?
Crows are generally pitch black, can make goosebumps, eat carrion, live in cemeteries, and are extremely intelligent. When all these features come together, crows have even been the subject of mythologies for thousands of years. It has always been believed that they are in agreement with the evil forces and even work as their ambassadors in our world.
This belief from the past has survived to the present day with the influence of popular culture. There are countless books and movies about crows being evil. Crows, which we believe to be uncanny creatures, and because they are extremely intelligent, countless legends have emerged such as making a deal with the devil, living for hundreds of years and taking revenge, and they have survived to this day.
Answering the question of how many years do crows, which we believe to live for hundreds of years, actually live, we talked about the details you need to know about these intelligent creatures that have a very normal lifespan. Maybe crows really live for hundreds of years, but evil forces don’t let us know, what do you think? You can share your thoughts in the comments.
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