The nest is made of sticks and twigs and is usually high up in a tree. The breeding female will lay 3-6 eggs which will require 18 days of incubation, and an additional 35 days in the nest before the young crows are able to fly. Unlike many species of birds, American crows do not immediately leave their parents.
Etymology[edit] Probably derived from gusset. gussy up â(third-person singular simple present gussies up, present participle gussying up, simple past and past participle gussied up) (informal) To don fancy clothing; to dress up particularly in flattering or specially altered garments.
Onward, to 'gussie up'. This appears to be of American origin and, as I've mentioned, has largely stayed in the US. The first example that I can find of it in print is in the July 1945 edition of The Rotarian magazine: The sky is a giddy blue, gussied up with flounces of billowy white clouds.