Pied Crow Bird Facts (Corvus albus)

The Pied Crow is a striking bird with distinctive black and white plumage. Its head, throat, wings, and tail are glossy black, contrasting sharply with a white collar, breast, and belly. The bird has a large, slightly curved black bill and dark eyes.

Both males and females share the same appearance, making them indistinguishable in the field. Juveniles resemble adults but may have a duller plumage and a brownish tinge to their black feathers.

The Pied Crow can be found in Woodland habitats.

The Pied Crow is not typically found in Garden habitats.

The Pied Crow is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

The Pied Crow can be found in Coastal habitats.

The Pied Crow can be found in Urban habitats.

The Pied Crow is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

The Pied Crow is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

The Pied Crow is not typically found in Desert habitats.

The Pied Crow is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

The Pied Crow is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

The Pied Crow is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

The Pied Crow can be found in Savanna habitats.

Pied Crows are widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal to Somalia and south to South Africa. They inhabit various open and semi-open habitats, including savannas, woodlands, and coastal areas.

These birds have successfully adapted to human-modified environments and are common in urban areas, villages, and agricultural lands. They are non-migratory and maintain their territories year-round.

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Pied 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

Yemen

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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 Pied Crow demonstrates high agility through its acrobatic flight displays during breeding season and its ability to navigate diverse environments, from urban areas to natural habitats.

Strength

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

With a robust build and strong bill, the Pied Crow possesses considerable strength for its size, enabling it to probe for food and handle a variety of prey items, including small vertebrates.

Adaptability

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

Exceptionally adaptable, the Pied Crow thrives in a wide range of habitats from sea level to 3,700 metres, successfully exploiting urban environments and showing remarkable intelligence in tool use and problem-solving.

Aggressiveness

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

While not overly aggressive, Pied Crows display bold behaviour around humans and are known to raid nests of other birds, indicating a moderate to high level of assertiveness when necessary.

Endurance

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

The Pied Crow's ability to maintain territories year-round, coupled with its success in diverse climates and elevations, suggests strong endurance. Its opportunistic feeding habits also contribute to its stamina.

Pied Crows are opportunistic omnivores with a varied diet. They feed on insects, small vertebrates, eggs, carrion, and human food scraps.

They're also known to consume frogs, small birds, fish, rodents, and lizards and have the impressive ability to capture small birds, locusts, and bats while in the air. Roosting Fruit Bats are also occasionally predated.

These adaptable birds are known to raid the nests of other birds and scavenge in urban areas, demonstrating their resourcefulness in finding food.

Pied Crows are highly adaptable and intelligent birds. They are often seen foraging on the ground in pairs or small groups, using their strong bills to probe for food.

These birds are known for their bold behavior around humans and their ability to exploit various food sources in urban environments.

Pied Crows have a repertoire of vocalizations, with their most common call being a loud, harsh 'caw-caw' or 'kra-kra'. They also produce a variety of softer croaks, rattles, and guttural sounds, especially during social interactions or when alarmed.

Pied Crows typically form monogamous pairs and breed during the dry season, which varies across their range. Courtship involves aerial displays and mutual preening.

Nests are built high in trees or on man-made structures, constructed of sticks and lined with softer materials. The female lays 3-6 pale green or blue eggs with brown speckles.

Both parents incubate the eggs for about 18-19 days. The chicks fledge after 35-40 days but may remain with their parents for several months after leaving the nest.

The Pied Crow typically lives for 10 to 20 years.

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

The Pied Crow is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN due to its large range and increasing population. Its adaptability to human-modified environments has contributed to its success. However, in some areas, it may face localized threats from persecution or habitat changes.

Look for Pied Crows in open areas, particularly near human settlements
Listen for their distinctive 'caw-caw' calls, which are often given in flight
Observe their behavior around garbage dumps or markets, where they often scavenge
Watch for their acrobatic flight displays during the breeding season

Adult Pied Crows have few natural predators due to their size and intelligence. However, eggs and nestlings may fall prey to snakes, raptors, and larger mammals.

Pied Crows are known to use tools, such as sticks, to probe for food in hard-to-reach places.
They have been observed engaging in cooperative hunting, working together to catch small animals.
In some African cultures, Pied Crows are considered symbols of wisdom and are featured in local folklore.

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