Jamaican Crow

Photo by the late Jan Van den Broeck
White River Valley, Jamaica, January 2007

Alternative names: Chattering Crow; Jabbering Crow

Corvus jamaicensis

Identification

35 - 38cm. The smallest of the Caribbean crows.

• Black head, face and throat
• Plumage mostly dark, dull grey or sooty black
• Base of neck feathers grey
• Slate grey, deep bill, tapering to a sharp point
• Iris grey-brown or red-brown
• Black legs and feet
• Bare suborbital patch in most birds

Sexes similar, juveniles undescribed.

Distribution

Endemic to Jamaica, especially in Mount Diablo, Cockpit Country, and John Crow Mountains.
Locally common and expanding its small range in recent years.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species.
May form a superspecies with Cuban Crow and White-necked Crow.

Habitat

Upland woodlands mixed with cleared areas and can be frequently found in larger gardens also. Mostly moist woodlands on limestone.

Behaviour

This species is most often seen in pairs or family groups, however, it has recently been demonstrated that they can utilize communal roosts at least in non-breeding season.
It feeds on fruit and invertebrates. Preys also on eggs and nestlings, especially wild pigeons.
Only few information about breeding. Probably a solitary breeder, nesting in a high tree or in natural cavity.

References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507
3. Graves 2009. Communal roosting of the Jamaican Crow (Corvus jamaicensis) J Carib Ornithol 22:48-51

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Jamaican Crow. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 25 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Jamaican_Crow

External Links

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