Can Crows Swim? Or Float On Water Then Fly Again?

Do you know crows love to play with water and have fun with it? Basically, crows are as intelligent and clever as a seven-year-old child. Sometimes, they can be aggressive and quarrelsome. This is why their joyful characteristics often remain undiscovered.

Now, a question might be lingering in your mind, “Can crows swim?” The short answer is no. Crows cannot swim because they’re not water birds. They don’t even have webbed feet like those of ducks to help them stay on the water. Due to the chunky body and the long neck, swimming is troublesome for crows.

In this article, we’ll also be talking about why crows can’t swim, whether they can float on water or not, and more. Would you like to know about attracting crows to your backyard? We have an article on this topic, which helps you a lot to invite them.

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Why Can’t Crows Swim?

The main reason is crows don’t have webbed feet as swans or ducks do to swim in the water. Besides, crows don’t come up with double-layered feathers, but ducks have. These feathers feature a coating of fatty acids that don’t dissolve in water.

Thanks to the organic compounds in the feathers of aquatic birds like ducks, they can easily swim in water without getting tired. On the other hand, if crows accidentally fall in deep water, their feathers become wet and heavy after a while, tiring them easily.

Can Crows Float On Water?

Yes, crows can easily float on water but for a while. To do this, they keep flapping their wings, expand their tails, and keep their heads up. They can remain floating until their feathers become too heavy for them to fly.

Since crows can float, they won’t die or drown right after they fall in the water. When floating on water, they can move slightly forward by their wings. In the end, a tremendous amount of energy loss might end up tiring them out, and they start drowning in the water.

Can Crows Fly Again After Falling Into Water?

Yes, crows can fly right after accidentally falling into the water. Since they’re not water birds, they wouldn’t like to spend a good amount of time drying their wings by floating on water. Most probably, they would fly again.

As you already know, waterfowl birds, like ducks and swans, have an extra coating on their feathers that allows them to float. On the other hand, the extra coating is missing on crow feathers. That’s why crows must fly again once falling into the water.

Will Crows Die In Water?

If crows accidentally fall in larger water bodies, like deep lakes, canals, and rivers, they will eventually die when they can’t keep themselves afloat. Their feathers will be heavier, which causes them to drown in water. If rescued in time, they will be able to survive.

So, if you see a crow drowning in water, you should rescue it. However, if crows fall in smaller water bodies, like large birdbaths, shallow lakes, and puddles, they may successfully survive without any help from you.

Can Crows Stand In And Walk Through Water?

If the water level is low, crows can stand in water and walk through it. Do crows have any purpose to do so? Since crows are omnivorous, they can eat anything, including fish, shrimps, and crabs. That’s why crows are sometimes seen standing in water.

For your information, crows, particularly fish crows, prefer to live near water bodies to enjoy fish regularly. If you have ever seen a crow standing in water, it might have been searching for fish, which has nutritional value for them.

Do Crows Simply Like Water?

Even though crows cannot swim in the water, they simply like water. They’re often seen close to various water bodies, like shallow lakes, waterlogged areas, puddles, and more, drinking water, dunking their food, and bathing.

Besides, crows love to play in birdbaths to stay clean and get rid of dirt from their feathers. They avoid using deep waters because their feathers may get heavier and reduce their flying capabilities once falling in deep waters.

Final Words

In summary, crows cannot swim in water as ducks can but float on water for a few hours. If they accidentally fall in the water, they will need to fly right away without wasting any time. Otherwise, their feathers get heavier with time, which causes them to drown.

However, we hope you have learned a lot about crows’ swimming, floating, flying again, dying in water, standing in, and walk through it. If you ever spot a crow close to a water source, it’s obvious that the bird was there for drinking water and playing around it.