Bird

American Crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos
Bird Along the Missouri River, Great Plains New to Western Science
American Crow

Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Common Names
Common Crow
Habitat
Fort Clatsop; Tongue Point, Astoria
Conservation
Secure
First Observed
1804-08-01
Observed At
Along the Missouri River, Great Plains

Pacific Coast species separated from closely related Common Crow only by its smaller size and voice, as noted by Lewis.

Recent sightings

Where it’s being seen today

5 research-grade iNaturalist observations between 2022–2025. Most recent: 2025-07-14. Sourced from Terrain360 trail captures, cached locally.

Journal References

15 journal entries mention American Crow

Sep 16 1804
Missouri River near White River — John Ordway: September 16, 1804
...tern South Dakota. 5 In Brule County, opposite the mouth of American Crow Creek and the town of Oacoma at its mouth. 6 The captains named it Corvus Creek, "in consequence of...
Sep 19 1804
Missouri River near Big Bend — John Ordway: September 19, 1804
...080 mile point. Opposite it (on the east) are the mouths of Crow and Wolf Creeks, and a mile or two above is the mouth of Campbell Creek. These three streams consti...
Oct 29 1804
Clark: October 29, 1804
...on kai s Chief Sha-ha-ka Big White 2nd Ka-goh-ha-me little Crows 2 do village Roop tar-hee 1 s & grand Chief Poss-cop-sa-he Black Cat 2d Chief Car-gar-no-mok-she r...
Dec 23 1804
Fort Mandan, North Dakota — John Ordway: December 23, 1804
raiseing our pickets the Savages came in large crowds the Squaw[s] loaded with corn & Beans, we found them troublesome in our huts.
May 4 1805
Missouri River near Porcupine River — Joseph Whitehouse: May 4, 1805
...ces were added later, as is shown by the fact that they are crowded in before the next day’s entry. — Eb. buffaloe Elk & Cabberee or Goats. Camped in a bottom o...
Oct 12 1805
Snake River rapids, near Lewiston — Patrick Gass: October 12, 1805
...nd we saw no birds of any kind, but a few hawks, eagles and crows. At noon we halted, cooked and eat some fish and then proceeded on. The country and river this day...
Oct 20 1805
Columbia River near Wallula Gap — Patrick Gass: October 20, 1805
...e shores are lined with dead salmon, there are abundance of crows and ravens. Vast quantities of these fish die at this time of the year. At noon we came to an Indi...
Dec 19 1805
Lewis: December 19, 1805
... feathers from 1 to 11/2 Inches long and occupye the whole crown of the head. the head neck, the whole of the body including the coverts of the wings, the upper ...
Jan 19 1806
Clark: January 19, 1806
... the U States and Great Britain in 1800 & 1801 with a high Crown rather larger at the top than where it joins the brim, the brim narrow about 2 or 21/2 inches. S...
Jan 19 1806
Lewis: January 19, 1806
...tes and great Britain in the years 1800 & 1801 with a high crown reather larger at the top than where it joins the brim; the brim narrow or about 2 or 21/2 inches...
Feb 17 1806
Lewis: February 17, 1806
...s to the fort. Shannon brought me one of the large carrion Crow or Buzzads of the Columbia which they had wounded and taken alive. I bleive this to be the largest...
Mar 3 1806
Clark: March 3, 1806
...redish brown Pheasant has been previously discribed.-. The Crow Ravin and large Blackbird are the Same as those of our Country, only that the Crow here is much Sm...
Mar 3 1806
Lewis: March 3, 1806
...he redish brown pheasant has been previously discribed.The Crow raven and Large Blackbird are the same as those of our country only that the crow is here much sma...
Mar 6 1806
Clark: March 6, 1806
... Same of those of the U, States. The Fishing Hawk with the Crown of the head white, and back of a milkey white, and the blue crested or king fisher are found on e...
Mar 7 1806
Lewis: March 7, 1806
...same with those of the U States. the fishing hawk with the crown of the head White and back of a mealy white, and the blue crested or King fisher are found on eve...

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