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February is the normal migration time for American crows. During winter in Minnesota, crows are prevalent or fairly commonly observed in the southern two-thirds of the state, but are rare in the north. So when the first "caws" are heard, usually by the first week in March in Isabella, Ely, or International Falls, it is a welcome voice of spring.

A spectacular behavior of crows in winter is their nightly communal roosts which number from 50 to as many as 10,000. Every morning the crows disperse from their roosts in small flocks to feed, then return at sundown.

The American crow is one of the most adaptable of all birds. They live in open or wooded country over almost the entire United States. Flocks travel up to 50 miles each day in feeding.

JIM GILBERT