Crow x Magpie Hybrid or leusistic (1 Viewer)

Pitvar

Well-known member

• Aug 3, 2010

• #1

Hello all, saw two birds yesterday at Keldy, North Yorkshire and at first and second glance I decided they were an unusual leusistic Carrion Crow and didn't have time to observe them for long before they flew off. I've previously seen "brown" Crows and know there are all sorts of variations in crows.

However once I reviewed the photos [one good, two poor] I can't find any similar variation plus the bill looks to be a little deformed - all of which led me to wonder whether it is possible to have Magpie/Crow hybrids at all?

Any opinions gratefully received.

 

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Southern Frogmouth

Well-known member

• Aug 3, 2010

• #2

They will be Crows with pigmentation defects. Got one similar round Tring at the moment.

 

Pitvar

Well-known member

• Aug 4, 2010

• #3

Thanks TringBirder, I've had another search of the web and can find crows with white wing bars or all white crows but it was the patterning on these two which threw me plus the bill looked strange: but I guess if there's genetic abnormality in the pigmentation there could be in the bill/head shape too.

 

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screaming piha

Well-known member

• Aug 4, 2010

• #4

Looks heavily worn rather than leucistic. It's that time of year.

 

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stevethehydra

Well-known member

• Sep 9, 2010

• #5

I've never heard of Magpie/Crow hybrids (and have read a lot about hybrid birds), but i'm pretty sure these couldn't be such a hybrid if it was possible, as the wing and tail proportions are identical to "normal" Carrion Crow. I'd be *very* surprised if a hybrid didn't show intermediate size and shape as well as colouring.

Partially leucistic Carrion Crows are very common, and i've seen ones very similar to these as well as ones with white in completely different places. Bill deformities are also fairly well-known in corvids (although that first photo could just be a stray feather altering the silhouette of the bill IMO).

 

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stevethehydra

Well-known member

• Sep 14, 2010

• #6

Here's a similar example (from Sutton Park, Birmingham at the end of July): http://pic.atpic.com/1969988/600

 

S

stonechat1

New member

• Sep 14, 2010

• #7

screaming piha said:

Looks heavily worn rather than leucistic. It's that time of year.

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