Alternative names: Short-tailed Crow; Solomon Crow; Solomon Islands Crow
- Corvus meeki
Identification
40 - 41cm. A medium-sized, glossy crow:
- Massive black bill with strongly arched culmen
- Short narrow tail
- Black plumage with bluish-green gloss on head and underparts and purple gloss on upperparts
- Brown eye
- Black legs
Sexes similar. Juveniles have blue-grey eyes.
Distribution
Endemic to the islands of Bougainville and Buka (of Papua New Guinea) and the Shortland Islands (of the Solomon Islands).
Common in its small range.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
It's sometimes regarded as conspecific with Bismarck Crow or with White-billed Crow.
Habitat
It is generally restricted to lowland forest (< 1600 m) but does feed in coconut plantations and degraded habitats close to forest.
Behaviour
Feeds on insects, fruits, and berries. Usually foraging in small groups.
Breeding season probably in austral spring. No other information about breeding.
A resident species.
References
- 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.
- 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
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Bougainville Crow. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 1 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Bougainville_Crow
