Youngsters
get to know the young hero and the adventures
that carry him toward manhood. As they come to know Jeremiah as a friend who would
understand their own growing pains, they look forward to each book in the
series.
Teachers
will Achieve..
Teachers will appreciate the ways
that Jeremiah Stokely novels, kits, and activities make literature
meaningful to children. Teachers can download free classroom idea
packets to hold a hand-on workshop based on each book.
Click the >Play button
to listen to the bird's song!
American Crow (Corvus
brachyrhynchos)
Length 17½ in., wingspan 39 in., Family Corvidae
The big, glossy black American Crow is a member of the
Corvidae family, which also includes Blue Jays, Magpies, and Ravens. It is
usually heard before it is seen. Its loud, harsh, repeated “caw” often
forewarns us of a coming rainstorm. The Crow is an intelligent bird, able to
adapt to almost any habitat.
Crows are gregarious. Winter flocks may number in the
thousands. Even in the breeding season, when birds tend to go solo, Crows
will gather together to mob owls or other predators. Because Crows are
“omnivorous” – they eat everything – they may be mobbed by smaller birds
themselves. Crows will eat eggs and nestlings, small animals, parts of
plants, garbage, even carrion (dead animals).
Crow words: Because they are especially fond of
digging up and eating freshly planted seeds, farmers consider Crows pests.
That is where “scarecrow” came from. The word “crowbar” is named for the
Crow’s strong curved bill, which is also used to pry loose or turn heavy
objects. Because this bird’s nest is always built in tall trees, the
sailor’s lookout at the top of a ship’s mast is called a “crow’s nest.”
The nests of Crows are large platforms of sticks in
tall trees. They lay three to eight dark eggs that are incubated by the
female. The hatched nestlings are cared for by both parents.
Some
species of Crow is found on every continent except South America and
Antarctica.
