Page 372 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

CROWS
Order Passeriformes Family Corvidae Species Corvus corone
Carrion Crow broad, flat-topped
head
square
wingtips
thick,
arched
glossy black bill
C. c. cornix body
(HOODED CROW)
heavy pale
body
tight body
feathering
square
tail
IN FLIGHT

FLIGHT: direct, steady wingbeats with few glides;
soars occasionally.
his is an unusual bird, having two distinct
Tforms that sometimes interbreed along
their borders but retain separate identities. SUBSPECIES
They should probably be treated as two species.The grey-bodied form is usually
known as the Hooded Crow. It used to be a common winter visitor to some areas C. c. cornix
such as eastern England, where it is now scarce, but it remains frequent in the Low (N and E Europe)
Countries in winter.The black Carrion Crow is easily taken for a Raven or a grey
body
Rook and requires care in identification where these also occur. Carrion Crows
are typically more solitary but may
feed and roost in flocks of scores or
hundreds at times.
VOICE Loud, harsh, grating caw, krra krra
krra, metallic konk, korr, and variants.
NESTING Big stick nest, shallower than
Rook’s, in tree or bush; 4 or 6 eggs;
1 brood; March–July.
FEEDING On ground, takes all kinds of
invertebrates, eggs, grain, and various JAUNTY AIR
scraps; often in pairs, sometimes big A bold, upright stance and confident, long-striding
flocks on fields spread with manure. walk are characteristic of the Carrion Crow.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Breeds in Great Britain and east to
ROOK RAVEN JACKDAW Denmark and C Europe; Hooded
see p.369 longer wings see p.368 breeds in Ireland, Scotland, Isle of
in flight;
whiter see p.371 thicker Man, and N and E Europe; winter
face bill
loose visitor to North Sea coasts. In all
feathering kinds of open areas from upland
smaller
longer bill and moors to farmland and suburbs.
tail head
smaller and Seen in the UK
greyer J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 44–51cm (17 1 ⁄2 –20in) Wingspan 93–104cm (37–41in) Weight 540–600g (19–21oz)
Social Occasional flocks Lifespan 5–10 years Status Secure
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