Carrion Crow

Includes Hooded Crow

Corvus corone

Photo by RichUK

Identification

Very successful and highly intelligent corvid about half a metre in length.

Distribution

Most western Europe to the most eastern points of northern Asia.

Taxonomy

Subspecies¹

• C. c. corone - W Europe
• C. c. orientalis - Iran to n China, Korea and Japan

Hooded Crow corvix complex:

• C. c. cornix - N Europe to Yenisey Valley, Ukraine, Corsica and s Italy
• C. c. sharpii - Mainland Italy to Yugoslavia, Asia Minor, n Iran and Kazakstan
• C. c. pallescens - Coastal s Turkey to Levant, n Iraq and Egypt
• C. c. capellanus - S Iraq and adjacent sw Iran

Status of Hooded Crow corvix complex

Clements (2007) treats Hooded Crow (C. (corone?) cornix, including sharpii, pallescens, and capellanus) as a full species, citing the recommendation of Parkin et al. (2003)². However, Howard & Moore (2003) and Sibley & Monroe (1996) retain the Hooded Crow cornix complex within Carrion Crow (C. corone) and the Opus awaits further clarification. See BirdForum threads discussing this taxonomic discrepancy here and here.

Behaviour

Ingenious adaption to all urban environments and intelligent. Can be observed sitting atop of trafficlights and dropping hardcased nuts onto the streets below so to make use of the crushing effects of traffic; and will retrieve the contents at a 'red' signal.

Bird Song

<flashmp3>Corvus corone (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

References

1. Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
2. Parkin, D.T., M. Collison, A. Helbig, A.G. Knox, and G. Sangster. 2003. "The taxonomic status of Carrion and Hooded Crows." British Birds. 96 (6): 274–90.

External Links

Search for photos of Carrion Crow in the gallery