Crows are widely considered to be pests. However, these large and highly intelligent black birds actually serve quite a few important functions in the environment. So what are crows good for? Here’s what you’ll want to know.
Pest And Parasite Management
Crows are omnivores and they love eating pests that plague farms and gardens. In addition to a wide variety of insects, they eat large numbers of grubs, caterpillars, and armyworms annually. Crows also love to eat ticks which are of course a vector for disease, particularly in America where they are known for carrying Lyme disease.
West Nile Virus Detection
Crows are one of the few bird species which are highly susceptible to the West Nile Virus as they rarely survive once infected. Because of this health authorities consider them to be an indicator species.
By testing dead birds they can quickly determine if the virus is in a given area and take the proper precautions if needed. Keep in mind however that crows don’t actually spread West Nile Virus, however, instead the spreading is done by infected mosquitoes.
Nature’s Clean-Up Crew
Crows are good for one of the dirtiest jobs in nature, cleaning up carcasses. Along with birds like vultures, crows feed on dead animals. And if it weren’t for them carcasses would be seen and smelled much more frequently. In fact, in many areas around the world, it is often crows more than any other animal which perform the vast majority of the disposal of rotting carcasses.
By consuming roadkill, dead animals of all types, and also trash, crows not only help to clean up but also prevent the spread of dangerous pathogens and diseases into our environment. Not to mention that if crows didn’t do so these would be food for rodents and flies resulting in their proliferation.
Seed Dispersal
Like other birds crows help to promote the growth of trees and plants as they disperse seeds in their waste in a range of locations. However, in addition, crows in particular are known for their habit of scatter-hoarding seeds in remote locations. This helps to ensure that they have enough food even when resources are scarce. Because of this crows are good for dispersing seeds over quite a long distance.
Natural Balance
Crows are keystone species in the environments in which they live. And as such, they’re invaluable birds that help to maintain equilibrium in the food chain, biodiversity as a whole, and aid in seed dispersal. Without them, there would be no other species to fill their niche. So when it comes to what are crows good for, the answer is a whole lot!
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