American crow vocalizing (photo from Wikimedia Commons)

18 November 2025

If you think you can’t recognize birds by song I guarantee there is one whose voice you know. “Caw! Caw! Caw! Caw!” the American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos).

Crows are especially vocal when they see a predator. If you hear this, look for the owl!

And there’s the Double Short Caw that I often hear in summer. (I have not found a recording of it.)

Double Short Caw. A series of caws delivered in pairs, so that the interval within a pair is smaller than between pairs. Often associated with territorial bouts, Countercawing, directed out of the territory, and particularly with the beginning of chasing bouts. Function as call-to-arms vocalizations for family members.

Beyond cawing, crows make many strange sounds including rattles, growls, coos and clicks, as seen in this video from @Crows_are_skycats in Seattle.

The Rattle Call is really special. In 2008, R.R. Tarter, found evidence that this sound is only made by the female. Tarter, R. R. (2008). The Vocal Behavior of the American Crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos [master’s thesis]. The Ohio State University

Curious about what crows say? Read about crow vocalizations at Kaeli Swift’s Corvid Research website:

• Crow Vocalizations Part I: New Science
• Crow Vocalizations Part II: Q&A