(2), mammal 2.6
(19), bird .8 (1), eggshell .5 (3), snake .1 (2), fish .9
(9), crayfish 2.4 (12), snail .2 (9).

Wheat is the "staff-of-life" of the crows in south-central Kansas and
the percentage recorded in the diet in my study is much higher than the
percentages found by other investigators. Wheat, being the principal
crop in this area, was a readily available food. The fluctuations in the
use of wheat were due to fluctuations in the availability of other foods
that were preferred. In eastern Harvey County wheat consumption was
35.7 per cent of the diet in the latter part of July, and 49.1 per cent
in December.

Consumption of wheat was high (34.4 per cent) during the harvest in
June. However, this does not indicate serious damage since the crow
population at this time was low, and much of the wheat eaten probably
was shattered waste grain. When plowing began, wheat consumption was
much reduced. At the time wheat was sown, September 10 to October 15,
consumption was average to low.

In western Harvey County wheat was less important in the diet of
wintering crows. After reaching a peak (22.7 per cent) in October, just
after sowing, it steadily decreased, varying from 6.9 per cent to none
in December.

The wheat consumption of crows has little significance economically. No
instances of damage were reported to me either at the time of harvest or
at the time of sowing. Although crows undoubtedly do eat wheat from
newly sown fields, this utilization seldom damages the stand. No
evidence of pulling young wheat was found. Most wheat eaten was waste
grain.

Grain sorghum was the staple food of the wintering crows. In eastern
Harvey County, where sorghum is not an important crop, its consumption
began in August, reached a peak in the last part of November, and fell
off sharply in December. The grain sorghum crop is vulnerable to damage
by crows and it is ripening in the autumn as the crow population is
building up. In certain areas and certain years the loss may be
important. An exceptional instance was reported to me of crows taking 40
per cent of the crop from a small field of early ripening sorghum near a
roost. Most farmers and county agents interviewed thought that the
over-all damage was not great. The crop is usually combined and little
remains in the fields after October, when the majority of wintering
crows arrive. Nevertheless, even waste grain picked up after harvest
should be counted as a loss on