Scotland - crow ID (1 Viewer)

C

clarity

Well-known member

• Jul 6, 2009

• #1

Hi All

I can generally tell my rooks from my carrion crows, but this one is puzzling me. The breast seems quite mottled. Is it a juvenile rook/crow - or a juvenile raven?

(The pics are of the same bird.)

Thank you

Clarity

 

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mikejack82

Well-known member

• Jul 6, 2009

• #2

Carrion Crow. Can't comment on age tho...

 

vanellus

Andrew Hodson

• Jul 6, 2009

• #3

Next to a Carrion a Raven looks huge. It has a very heavy beak and usually a distinct 'beard'. If it is a juvinile, at this stage of feather development, a Rook would have at least the beginnings of a face patch and the paler beak.

 

A

Apodemus

Well-known member

• Jul 6, 2009

• #4

Carrion crow. Rooks and ravens have very different beak shapes from this.

I love that flight picture - what a dramatic shape it makes.

Mike

 

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Last edited: Jul 6, 2009

M

MichavdB

Well-known member

• Jul 6, 2009

• #5

Yep, carrion.

 

Tib78

Well-known member

• Jul 6, 2009

• #6

As said above it's a Carrion Crow. This bird is an immature according to the pale blueish iris, the lack of glossiness on upperparts and the light breast (on top of that, I think I can see the yellow gape line on the 1st picture).

 

C

clarity

Well-known member

• Jul 6, 2009

• #7

Thanks, everyone. And - thanks, Apodemus, for the pic you added to accompany the flight photo. Apt.

Clarity

 

njlarsen

Gallery Moderator

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Jul 6, 2009

• #8

Can you be sure there isn't a few genes from a hooded crow in there? I saw a lot of intercross and backcross birds in Vienna on a recent visit, and this looks similar to some of those.

Niels

 

ChrisKten

It's true, I quite like Pigeons

• Jul 6, 2009

• #9

Well it's a Corvid, but a couple of things don't look quite right for a Carrion Crow. The head seems a bit small, and the top of the head seems a bit flat.

The Crows I see in my garden every day have larger heads and the top of the head is rounder (more domed).

But remember my opinion is only based on the what I've seen and photographed in my garden. Most here know a great deal more about Crows.

 

ChrisKten

It's true, I quite like Pigeons

• Jul 6, 2009

• #10

Well it looks like I was wrong (which is fine, it means I just learned something|=)|)

I've attached 2 images:

First is an adult Carrion Crow, second is a second year Carrion Crow. The second looks very similar to the OP's picture.

 

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