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Thousands of Crows, One River
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Every winter night, thousands of crows fly to the river in Lawrence.
Some come from 20 miles away.
In October, about 2,500 show up. By February, almost 15,000.
Sleeping side by side in the riverside trees.
Why? Safety in numbers, scientists think. Bright, warm cities may help.
At dawn, they scatter. At dusk, they all come back.
Every night until the end of March.
You can watch. Get to the river in Lawrence an hour before sunset.
Watch them come in.
Any evening through February, head to the Merrimack River in downtown Lawrence 30 to 60 minutes before sunset. Check wintercrowroost.com for the latest roost spot, dress warmly, bring a flashlight, and watch them stream in.
Data: Craig Gibson's Winter Crow Roost counts (wintercrowroost.com), Bird Observer and Cornell Lab of Ornithology.