Understanding Crow Communication

Crows are among the most intelligent birds on the planet. But what many people don’t realize is

just how advanced their communication really is. Crows use both sounds and body movements

to talk to each other — a system as nuanced as a real language. In this video,

we’ll explore the most important crow calls and body signals, based on scientific observations and

many years of field experience with wild crows. Crows use a large variety of vocalizations.

Their classic “caw-caw” is only the surface of a much bigger communication system. When a crow dies,

the flock often uses special distress and mourning calls. These sounds are deeper,

rougher, and more repetitive than normal. They can attract other crows from