- Corvus moneduloides
Identification
40 - 43cm. A medium-sized crow.
- Glossy black plumage
- Relatively long tail
- Fine and hair-like throat feathers
- Dark brown iris
- Black bill and legs
Sexes similar. Juveniles similar to adults.
Distribution
Endemic to New Caledonia. Introduced on Maré (Loyalty Islands).
Fairly common in its small range.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Habitat
Forest, woodland, plantations and savanna.
Behaviour
Diet includes insects and other invertebrates, eggs and nestlings, snails (which it drops from a height onto hard stones), and various nuts and seeds. It is known for using plant material to manufacture hooks or barbs for extracting grubs from inside logs and branches. It shows great ingenuity in the search for food.
Usually seen in noisy flocks of up to 8 or more birds.
Its nest is built high in a tree with usually only 2 eggs laid from September to November.
A resident species.
Vocalisation
The voice is described as a soft waa-waa or wak-wak, sometimes a hoarse waaaaw.
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) New Caledonian Crow. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 1 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/New_Caledonian_Crow
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
