Very young, baby crows need in their diet proteins mostly. Proteins are the best replacement for what they get from their parents when the crow is baby. Make sure to give them food like egg yolks, cereals, oatmeals, or raw beef. You can even provide them with dog food and cat food.
Indeed, crows aren’t picky eaters. Thus, they have a wide range of food options.
Still, it doesn’t mean that it disregards the needs of their young. Most of the adults scavenge food and bring it to their nestlings.
Still, it begs the question: what do they like to eat the most?
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What do crows like to eat the most?
Crows are omnivores, and they can eat almost anything. They can fill their stomach with plant-based food and even meat.
From live animals and roadkills to vegetables and scraps, these birds can survive.
Still, they would prefer meat and other healthy options. The same principle goes with baby crows and what they like to eat the most.
According to a study, baby crows need protein most in their early stage of life.
Thus, you can give them small pellet food such as dog and cat kibbles. They can also feed on bird seeds.
For protein, they can eat cooked and raw eggs aside from meat.
If you want to give them nuts, it’s also one of their favorites. Just make sure it’s the unseasoned ones.
They would also munch on crops and vegetables, and even on small animals.
Now, let’s get back to the baby crows. Since a crow’s nestlings usually stay up in their nests, you may wonder if they are drinking water as well.
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Do baby crows drink water?
Like any other animal, baby crows need water, and they will drink given the opportunity.
Still, since they live most of their days in treetops, they take their water through the food.
The adult ones may not bring them a bottle of water (which seems like the most practical).
What they do is they soak the food they’ll bring for their nestlings. Thus, baby crows may not get a steady drink, but they get the essentials from a wet meal.
Moreover, they can get their water needs from fruits and vegetables that are rich in water. Such fruits include watermelon, cucumber, and apples.
Their nest can also accommodate small puddles from rain. Although they can’t just hope for it, it helps from time to time.
As they become adults, they don’t need to soak their food before eating, which baby crows do a lot.
Still, crows would dip their food in water, especially if there’s water nearby.
Read also – Where do crows build their nests?
What do baby crows look like?
A baby crow is easy to spot due to its unique appearance. Such nestlings have bright blue eyes accompanied by a pink bill.
After a week, the bill will already start to turn black the way adults have. Still, the eyes and the corners of its mouth will remain as they are.
Their nestlings also have fine feathers, especially in their younger days. These feathers eventually grow as they age.
In a nutshell, baby crows look like chicks, but covered in black feathers, with blue eyes and pink bills.
Do you want to know how to keep crows out of your birdbath? Read here.
How long do baby crows stay with parents?
Baby crows may stay with their parents for as long as five years.
Indeed, most young birds leave their parents soon after leaving the nest.
Such instances happen when predators chase them, never seeing their parents again.
On the other side, crows don’t chase their offspring, and their young remain with them for years.
Unlike other birds, these corvids tend to be social and live by pairs or by groups.
They even regroup with a larger number, especially when they migrate. This massive gathering is what we call a roost.
In a roost, crows tend to find their mate, and the large number protects them from predator threats.
Do you have crows around your house and do you want to know what does it mean? Learn more here.
Do crows eat their own babies?
Crows don’t eat their babies. As much as they can eat all kinds of bird eggs, they don’t devour their young.
They are territorial birds. Still, unlike other animals, they don’t eat their young.
Some animals, such as cats, eat their young when they get stressed. For these birds, however, they don’t.
They do get protective of their young like cats. Still, they don’t get stressed to eat their kin.
Instead, they take care of them and include them in their group once they mature.
They are famous for being egg thieves and hunters. However, since they are social animals, they don’t attack their fellow and their young.
Summary
Baby Crows can eat almost anything, provided that has the nutrients they need.
Since they are omnivores, their parent has no problem giving them the food they need. Further, these birds are intelligent, and they can search for food in their territory.
Resources
Cornell Lab of Ornithology study about baby crows
Image credits – Photos by G-R Mottez and Alex on Unsplash
