Hooded Crow
By Charlie • March 30, 2006 • 3 comments
Hooded Crows Corvus cornix
North-east Germany, March 2006
Long regarded as a sub-species of the Carrion Crow Corvus corone, the BOU Records Committee took the decision in 2002 to treat the Hooded Crow as a separate species (though, oddly, this split is not yet recognised in conservation listings where population statuses and trends would normally be observed). One of the reasons given for the split was that even though corone and cornix do hybridise where the two species meet (as in northern Britain, Germany and Siberia) and their hybrids are fertile, the hybrids are less well-adapted than pure bred birds. It is noticeable too that the “zone of hybridisation” has apparently remained stable for many centuries.
In the UK Hooded Crows occur in Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, and in Scotland, mainly west and north of the Great Glen and in western Europe from Denmark south to northern Italy. It is also found in Scandinavia and eastward into parts of Russia.
Easily identified under normal circumstances, there could be potential problems caused in any areas where Hooded Crows and the invasive Asian species House Crow Corvus splendens eventually meet: I’ve included an image of a House Crow taken in India as a comparison.
Hooded Crows Corvus cornix
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Compared with Hooded Crow note that this species has a black cap and face/throat rather than an all-dark head and extensively dark breast; a darkish mantle (though many birds have some grey colouration “creeping” into the mantle); has an “oily” look to its plumage; always looks long-legged (with short, close feathering on the thighs that almost invariably looks “neat” rather than somewhat “untidy”); and has a high, peaked crown and a long, thick bill. |
All photos copyright Charlie Moores
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I remember my first Hooded Crow, it flew across the road during my first visit to Ireland. On my second go round, I saw many of the buggers (I’ll have to put some pictures up soon). However, I don’t know if it was a trick of the light or my eyesight, but I always got the impression that Hooded Crows were vaugely pinkish in coloration?
Trick of the light or your eyesight? You were in Ireland …that would be the Guinness then…
great pics charlie! what a great bird too! here, in warsaw, there are tons of them. when i lived in scotland i could only usually see them on the coast, but here all i have to do is look out my window. great blog!