Carrion Crow Bird Facts (Corvus corone)

The Carrion Crow is a medium-sized bird with entirely black plumage that often displays a glossy, iridescent sheen in sunlight. Its stout, slightly curved beak and strong legs are also black, complementing its dark appearance.

Both males and females look identical, making visual sex determination challenging. Juveniles have a slightly duller plumage and may show a brownish tinge until their first moult.

The Carrion Crow can be found in Woodland habitats.

The Carrion Crow is not typically found in Garden habitats.

The Carrion Crow is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

The Carrion Crow is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

The Carrion Crow can be found in Urban habitats.

The Carrion Crow can be found in Farmland habitats.

The Carrion Crow can be found in Grassland habitats.

The Carrion Crow is not typically found in Desert habitats.

The Carrion Crow is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

The Carrion Crow is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

The Carrion Crow is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

The Carrion Crow is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Carrion Crows are widely distributed across Europe and parts of western Asia. They inhabit various environments, including woodlands, farmlands, grasslands, and urban areas. These adaptable birds are particularly successful in human-modified landscapes.

In the UK, Carrion Crows are common residents throughout England, Wales, and Scotland, except for the far north, where they're replaced by Hooded Crows. They're also found in parts of Ireland, though less abundantly.

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Carrion Crow. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons

Species that appear infrequently (rare) and unpredictably outside their normal range

Algeria Gibraltar Greenland Hong Kong Iceland Libya Malta Morocco Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands Tunisia

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Bird Attributes Explained

Our bird attributes system rates various aspects of a bird's capabilities on a scale of 0-100, based on data from field observations, scientific studies, and expert knowledge.

Attribute Categories:

Agility: Manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.
Strength: Physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.
Adaptability: Ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.
Aggressiveness: Territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.
Endurance: Stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Understanding the Ratings:

0-20: Very Low
21-40: Low
41-60: Average
61-80: High
81-100: Very High

Remember, these attributes are relative to other bird species and don't necessarily indicate superiority.

Agility

Reflects the bird's manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.

The Carrion Crow demonstrates remarkable agility in flight and on the ground. Their ability to navigate complex urban environments, perform aerial displays during courtship, and execute precise movements when using tools all point to a high level of agility.

Strength

Indicates the bird's physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.

Whilst not the strongest bird, Carrion Crows possess considerable strength for their size. Their ability to crack open nuts, defend territories, and carry substantial nesting materials indicates a good degree of physical power.

Adaptability

Represents the bird's ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.

Carrion Crows excel in adaptability. Their success in diverse habitats from woodlands to urban areas, coupled with their problem-solving skills and varied diet, showcases their exceptional ability to adapt to different environments and challenges.

Aggressiveness

Measures the bird's territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.

These birds display significant aggression, particularly during breeding season when defending their territories. Their boldness in urban settings and willingness to mob potential predators also contribute to this rating. However, they're not considered overly aggressive compared to some other species.

Endurance

Reflects the bird's stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Carrion Crows exhibit strong endurance, evidenced by their ability to forage over large areas, defend territories for extended periods, and thrive in various climates. Their success as a species across a wide geographical range further supports their high endurance rating.

Carrion Crows are opportunistic omnivores with a diverse diet. They feed on carrion, small mammals, birds, eggs, insects, worms, seeds, and fruits.

In urban areas, they've adapted to scavenge human food waste. Their intelligence allows them to access food creatively, such as dropping nuts onto roads to crack them open.

Carrion Crows are highly intelligent and social birds. They often gather in small groups to forage, displaying cooperative behaviours.

These birds are known for their problem-solving skills, using tools and exhibiting complex social interactions. They're also territorial during the breeding season, fiercely defending their nesting areas.

The Carrion Crow's call is a distinctive, harsh 'caw' or 'kra', often repeated in a series. They have a varied vocal repertoire, including softer, more melodious sounds used in close social interactions.

Some crows have been observed mimicking human-made sounds in urban settings, showcasing their vocal adaptability.

Carrion Crows typically form monogamous pairs that may bond for life. The breeding season usually begins in April and extends through June. Males perform aerial displays and offer food to attract mates.

Nests are built high in trees or on man-made structures, constructed with sticks and lined with softer materials like grass, wool, and moss. Females lay 3-6 pale blue-green eggs with brown speckles.

Incubation lasts about 18-20 days, primarily by the female. Both parents feed the nestlings, which fledge after 28-35 days but remain dependent on their parents for several more weeks.

The Carrion Crow typically lives for 4 years, with a maximum recorded lifespan of 19.2 years.

Like all birds, lifespan can be affected by factors including predation, habitat quality, disease, and access to food sources.

The Carrion Crow is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN due to its large range and stable population. However, like many birds, it faces challenges from habitat loss and climate change.

In some areas, conflicts with human activities have led to control measures, highlighting the need for balanced management approaches.

Look for Carrion Crows in open landscapes, parks, and urban areas
Listen for their distinctive harsh 'caw' call
Observe their intelligent behaviour, such as tool use or problem-solving
In the UK, watch for them in both rural and urban settings

Adult Carrion Crows have few natural predators, but eggs and nestlings are vulnerable to raptors like goshawks and eagle owls, as well as mammals such as pine martens and domestic cats.

Carrion Crows can recognise and remember individual human faces for years.
They've been observed creating and using tools in the wild, a sign of high intelligence.
In some parts of their range, Carrion Crows hybridise with Hooded Crows, creating birds with mixed plumage.

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Hooded Crow

Common Raven

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Jackdaw

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