Male and female are almost identical, sometimes the male is larger. It is completely black and has a long thick beak. The juvenile has brownish plumage and blue eyes. The tail is more rectangular than that of the raven when in flight. The crow is up to 53 centimeters tall, and its wingspan is no more than 100 cm. It weighs about 450 grams (1 pound). The American Crow lives an average of 15 years.

The crow, like the raven, is omnivorous, but is less often seen eating carcasses. It feeds on everything that is edible: animals, fruits, seeds, etc. It often nods its head when it screams. The American crow is a very intelligent bird that can steal food from other birds to feed itself. The crow is the only bird of its family (corvidae) to migrate in winter, but those living in urban areas often stay in Quebec, even in winter.