Corvus corone
Latin name
Corvus corone
Family
Crows (Corvidae)
Distribution
Found almost everywhere, from the centre of cities to upland moorlands, and from woodlands to seashore.
Habitat
Various
When to see them
All year round.
Size
40 – 53 cm (15.7 - 20.9in) Adult
Life-span
Average - 4 years
Oldest known - 19.2 years
Food
Carrion, insects, worms, seeds, fruit and any scraps.
In winter large communal roosts of carrion crows can occur. This species displays behaviour known as 'anting'; individuals allow ants to crawl over their body, adopting unusual prone postures. They are also known to have a strange interest with fire, and have been seen carrying burning material to the nest, and then displaying unusual behaviour.
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Carrion crows have a broad diet, including carcasses, eggs, insects, small vertebrates, molluscs, and even vegetables and grains in winter. They bury food for later consumption, and occasionally drop certain food items with hard shells, such as crabs and nuts, from a height in order to obtain the food inside.
Crows reach sexual maturity between 2-4 years, with females generally maturing faster. Once they’ve bonded with a mate it’s time to secure a territory. After they’ve settled on a territory they’ll hold on to it for years, if not the rest of their lives, providing a great opportunity for some in depth crow watching! With few exceptions, crows generally nest in areas similar to where they were raised. Meaning, rural crows settle down in rural areas, suburban crows in suburban areas and so on and so forth. Dispersal distance ranges (generally) from 0-60 km, and some birds will settle down right next door to their natal territory.
The carrion crow is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Receives general protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, but can be trapped, shot or their eggs and nests destroyed under the terms of General Licences issued by government. Included in the Birds of Conservation Concern Green List (low conservation concern).
This crow starts to breed at three years of age. Pairs, once formed, last for life. Courtship involves mutual preening, and a rapid head-bowing display by the male. Breeding pairs are very territorial, and create solitary nests in trees, bushes or on cliffs. The nest consists of thick branches and twigs intertwined with pegs, rags, paper, bones and other odd objects, held together with mud and dung and lined with wool, hair and grass. Four to five bluish-green, speckled eggs are laid in April, and are incubated by the female for up to 20 days. During this time, the male brings food to his mate on the nest. In the early part of their life, chicks are fed on regurgitated food by the female. Both parents then provision them with worms and maggots, progressing to various types of meat at a later stage. The young will have usually fledged after 35 days, but stay close to their parents for some time
Overview
Territory
Legal Status
Breeding
Daily Life
The all-black carrion crow is one of the cleverest, most adaptable of our birds. It is often quite fearless, although it can be wary of man. They are fairly solitary, usually found alone or in pairs. The closely related hooded crow has recently been split as a separate species. Carrion crows will come to gardens for food and although often cautious initially, they soon learn when it is safe, and will return repeatedly to take advantage of whatever is on offer.
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The carrion crow (Corvus corone) was, until recently, considered to be a race of the same species as the hooded crow (Corvus cornix), but it is now recognised as a separate species. It is the same size and shape as the hooded crow, but differs in that the plumage is entirely black, with a green and bluish-purplish gloss. The thick black bill has a curved tip. Vocalisations are croaky and harsh, and somewhat 'harder' than those of the hooded crow; the name 'crow' is imitative of their calls.
Threats
Carrion crows are perceived as a threat to livestock, as they are believed to kill and injure young lambs and trapped sheep. Although they do cause some problems of this nature, the perception is greater than the reality, and they have been persecuted as a result for many hundreds of years.
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