Crows are highly intelligent birds and can be found on all continents apart from Antarctica. They are mainly seen in groups, but what are these groups of crows called? Most of these collective nouns date back to the late middle ages but are still used today.
The most common collective nouns to describe a group of crows are; a murder of crows, a mob of crows and a horde of crows.
Depending on which part of the world you are from will determine the most common term used to describe a group of crows, but the terms mentioned above are generally the most commonly used.
Crow is the common name for the genus Corvus. Collectively this group is referred to as corvids and includes crows, ravens, jays and magpies.
Continue reading for more collective nouns and why a group of crows are called a murder, along with more information.
Other names for a group of crows
- a brood of crows
- a caldron of crows
- a cawcus of crows
- a cawldron of crows
- a cawlection of crows
- a cawroboree of crows
- a clan of crows
- a company of crows
- a congress of crows
- a cowardess of crows
- a cowardice of crows
- a hoard of crows
- a hover of crows
- a kine of crows
- a murmuration of crows
- a muster of crows
- a parcel of crows
- a rookery of crows
- a storytelling of crows
- a cawlection of American crows
A ‘murder’ of crows in the winter
Why is the collective noun for crows called a murder?
The term ‘murder’ has been given to a flock of crows, some of which are historical and other reasons down to their behaviour. Crows are omnivorous and scavengers by nature, which is why they are often spotted scavenging around carrion (dead animals) and other birds. Historically, crows could be found around battlefields, cemeteries, gallows and hospitals, essentially waiting for any opportunities of a food source.
The association with these places highly linked with death and dark things meant that crows got a bit of a bad reputation over time, and superstitions surrounding them were made up.
One of the superstitions stated that crows form parliaments and tribunals to come to a verdict as to whether to punish a fellow member of their flock for any bad behaviour or wrong-doing. It was said that if the bird were found guilty, then the rest of the flock would murder the guilty crow.
This, of course, has never been found to be the case amongst crows; however, the only glimpse of truth is that crows will occasionally kill weak or injured crows that trespass on their territory during fights.
When do crows flock together?
During late spring and summer, crows generally tend to hang out in small family groups consisting of up to 10 birds.
When the colder months come around, crows can form groups from hundreds of others, all the way up in the thousands, in some cases. These large flocks are often noisy and can be disruptive to other birds.
A large flock of crows on the ground
Why do crows flock together in large groups?
There have been few studies as to why crows form these large groups called murders, but experts in Corvids have concluded that it’s for a number of reasons, each that come with their own benefits.
The first reason is that the large flock will roost together, and roosting in these large numbers provides safety, heat and better access and scavenging abilities for food sources.
It’s thought that roosting in a flock at night, particularly during the colder winter months, means that when the birds are sleeping closer to another warm body, means it’s much easier for them to stay warm and fend off the cold at night.
Another benefit of these large roosts is that there is greater protection with the higher number of birds. This is because there are more birds to look out and alert at the sight of a predator, and predators are much likely to attack when there are many crows.
Peregrine Falcons, Eagles, Great Horned Owls and various types of hawks all predate on crows from time to time, so safety in numbers is paramount to discouraging attacks.
One other reason is that the collective effort for finding food. It works well as many crows can go off and seek out food sources for the others to join.
Learn all about birds around the world through our growing collection of in-depth expert guides.
The most common collective nouns for crows are flock, horde and muster. Learn how to use these and also other collective nouns for crows in this article.
Flock of Crows
The most commonly used collective noun for animals can be “herd”, and similarly, the most commonly used collective noun for birds can be “flock”. The collective noun “flock” can be used for the number of crows which are seen flying. The word flock is not only used for crows but for various other types of birds as well.
Flock + preposition + crows
Example
- A flock of crows are seen around the pot.
- A flock of crows were seen flying under the red sky.
Horde of Crows
When the word ‘horde’ is used by itself, it refers to a big group or herd. When you see a lot of crows but don’t see much of their activity, you can use the term horde.
Example
- A garden is a beautiful place, but the horde of crows adds more beauty to the site.
- I have painted a horde of crows on the canvas.
Muster of Crows
The collective noun ‘muster’ can also be used for a group of crows.
Example
- A muster of crows was seen heading towards the dead dog.
- A muster of crows looks absolutely stunning while sitting on the rooftop.
Other Collective Nouns for Crows
Other than these words, there are other popular collective nouns which can be used for a group of crows.
- Brood
- Caldron
- Clan
- Company
Frequently Asked Questions on Collective Nouns for Crows
Q1
What are the different collective nouns for crows?
To represent a group of crows, the collective nouns that can be used are muster, flock, horde, brood, clan, etc.
Q2
Why is it essential to learn the various types of collective nouns?
It is essential to learn the different types of collective nouns because it helps in building a strong vocabulary.
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- There are different names for specific groups or units of animals.
- Some are well-known, like a «swarm» of bees or a «pack» of wolves. Some are more obscure, like a «venue» of vultures.
- How many collective nouns for animals do you know?
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Some collective nouns for groups or units of animals are well-known, such as a «swarm» of bees or a «pack» of wolves. Then there are more obscure names like a «venue» of vultures.
Keep scrolling to see how many you can guess.
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A group of bears is called a «sloth» or «sleuth.»
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… a «community.»
A group of camels is also known as this.
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A group of camels is called a «caravan.»
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A group of frogs is called an «army.»
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… a «tower.»
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A group of jellyfish is called a «smack.»
Do you know the word for a group of crows?
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It’s called a «murder» of crows.
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A group of dolphins is called a «pod.»
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A group of porcupines is called a «prickle.»
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… a «bloat.»
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A group of foxes is called a «skulk.»
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A group of cheetahs is called a «coalition.»
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A group of lions is called a «pride.»
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A group of owls is called a «parliament.»
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A group of parrots is called a «pandemonium.»
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A group of otters is called a «romp.»
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A group of rhinos is called a «crash.»
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A group of hens is called a «brood.»
What is the collective noun for kangaroos?
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A group of kangaroos is called a «mob.»
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If you are looking for the Group of crows crossword clue answers then you’ve landed on the right site. This clue was last seen on July 20 2022 in the popular Wall Street Journal Crossword Puzzle. This is a very popular crossword publication edited by Mike Shenk. Please make sure you have the correct clue / answer as in many cases similar crossword clues have different answers that is why we have also specified the answer length below. The answer we’ve got for Group of crows crossword clue has a total of 6 Letters.
You can play today’s Wall Street Journal Crossword puzzle in the official website by clicking here.
We found 1 possible solution in our database matching the query ‘Group of crows’ and containing a total of 6 letters. See the answer highlighted below:
- MURDER (6 Letters)
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For the full list of today’s answers please visit Wall Street Journal Crossword July 20 2022 Answers
By T. V. Antony Raj
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A few days ago, I posted an article How do you call a group of fish? My friend Amir Ganesan Amirthalingam posed the question “What do you call a group of crows?” And I answered him ”Murder”.
There are different collective nouns to describe large groups of different birds. Most of them are descriptive of the group of birds and their behaviour or personalities. Some collective nouns such as flock, colony, fleet, can apply to all bird species.
Other flock names used include cloud, mass, collection, throng, murmuration, parcel, or dissimulation. This list is not exhaustive.
Some flock names are rare, obsolete and seldom-used. A few that I have come across are plain silly but are familiar to ornithologists.
Murder of crows
Crows are members of the Corvidae family which includes ravens, magpies, and blue jays. They are noisy, precocious, smart, and their intelligence never ceases to amaze us. Farmers consider the crows as pests and try to protect their crops and seedlings from them. Crows are most often associated with a long tradition of fear and paranoia. The black feathers of the crow frighten some people who associate them with death.
New research proves crows are gregarious, caring and one among the smartest creatures on the planet.
Here is a list of collective nouns used rarely for a flock of crows: horde, hover, mob, muster, parcel, storytelling and murder.
For most of the year, the crows are affable, wary and intelligent. . They are territorial, especially during the nesting season. They roost as a community consisting of hundreds of birds usually on large trees. They gather in large numbers at food sources and attractive dumpsters.
In 1486 AD, St Albans Press in England printed The Book of Saint Albans (or Boke of Seynt Albans). It is also known by the title “The Book of Hawking, Hunting, and Blasing of Arms“. In the 15th century, there was a fad for terms of venery (an archaic word for hunting) or names for groups of game animals. This book contains a long list of collective nouns for animals, and it has, of course, a murder of crows though without any explanation.
Though there was an obsession for terms of venery in the 15th century, most of them fell out of use in the 16th century including the murder of crows.
There are several explanations for the origin of this term, based on old folktales and superstitions.
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- According to one folktale, a flock of crows will gather to decide the fate of a crow that encroaches their turf. If the crow is guilty, the group will execute (that is, “murder”) the defendant. This is based on the fact that flock of crows will kill a dying crow which doesn’t belong to their territory. The crows are sometimes prone to cannibalism and feed on carcasses of already dead crows.
- Crows are scavengers and are generally associated with dead bodies and cemeteries. In the medieval period, crows hovered over execution sites, battlefields, hospitals, and cemeteries. They scavenged on human remains. To some, the appearance of crows is an omen of death. So, when a large number of crows circle above a site, they expect someone to die soon.
- Medieval peasants feared the sinister-looking crows. They believed the crows came from the Devil or were witches in disguise. To them, a flock of crows would have appeared murderous.
- When rediscovered in the early 20th century, authors then posited that the term murder of crows was correct because of the tremendous noise the crows make.
- Some etymologists suggest that the association of crows and ravens with death might have led to the use of the word murder.
To me, the term “murder of crows” reflects a time when many animal groups had vivid and poetic names.
Kevin J. McGowan of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology wrote on his website that no scientist would call it a murder of crows. “Scientists would call it a flock,” he wrote.
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RELATED ARTICLES
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- Q&A: Why are groups of crows called ‘murders?’ (tampabay.com)
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