As to why a bird would decide to hang out with millions of other birds each winter, scientists have several theories, says Williams. It is a common thought that there is increased survival if they are together. Each winter a murder of thousands of crows would gather in the local Walmart parking lot and create a ruckus filled with cawing and pooping. A constant concern for a small bird is keeping out of the way of the animals that would like to eat you, and being in a large group makes you less likely to be lunch in several ways. Moreover, they can also find new friends and mates if they get the chance to belong on different flocks. The Churchmans flock is one of about a dozen winter flocks in Delaware, according to Williams. Build or buy crow birdhouses and roost boxes. They also lead one another to a source of food if there’s any. Each morning the flock splits up and disperses in search of food, including such things as corn stubble or seedy grass. While a few people I know enjoyed watching the crows, they created an unfavorable reaction among locals. To ascertain what it might mean when you see such a … Want to help keep crows warm in the winter? While crows tend to be mostly solitary, territorial birds in the summer, winter will find them congregating in "roosts" of a few hundred to a thousand or more birds at night. There are some big advantages to flocking. They efficiently pass information by means of gathering into a particular place. This will save them the energy of trying to find water. "If you live in a place, usually a city, with a huge winter flock of crows, you are seeing migratory birds that came south for the winter as well as your local, year-round crows," says Townsend. Large flocks of crows — poetically called "murders" — are not unusual in the winter, but this year's flock is larger than normal in Ithaca. They often warn their flock if there is danger ahead. Put out winter bird foods such as suet, the bird peanut butter, seeds and other bird foods high in fat. Each bird in a massive-size flock doesn’t have to be quite as vigilant as it would be if it was flying solo. Depending on food availability, the Churchmans flock … It's not just your imagination: Why a murder of 10,000 crows takes over Ottawa in the winter Crows have marked an area of Ottawa as a roost area. Put out fresh water daily. There are several reasons why members of the corvid family, which includes several species of both crows and ravens, might make circles in the air. Some Birds Use Their Brains to Survive Winter Explore the winter world of smart birds who store food and share secrets. Sleeping crows feel much safer if he is with the same species rather than being alone. 1)Why do I see large groups of crows flying over my house every evening? There are about 13,000 crows roosting together, according to an estimate by Kevin McGowan, an ornithologist in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “If you live in a place, usually a city, with a huge winter flock of crows, you are seeing migratory birds that came south for the winter as well as your local, year-round crows,” says Townsend. One possible reason is that a flock provides better protection from predators. This is where groups of both kin and unrelated individuals flock to a particular location for, in part, the security of safety in numbers while they sleep. Keep your feeders full, check daily. They can be alarmed easily if there are predators or people near to them.