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Corvus cornix

Hooded crow

Habitus (CC BY-SA 2.5) Francisco M. Marzoa

Short Description

The hooded crow is easily recognised by its grey body with a black head, chest, wings and tail. It has a powerful dark-grey bill.

Features

Hooded crow

Corvus cornix

  • black with a grey body

Rufe im Flug

Frommolt (CC BY-SA 3.0)

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Similar species

Jackdaw

Coloeus monedula
The upper parts of the jackdaw, in particular, are reminiscent of a hooded crow, especially from afar. However, jackdaws are noticeably smaller. Their back plumage and arm wings are black. Their bill is shorter and more pointed, their iris is white-grey to light-blue.

Carrion crow

Corvus corone
The twin species of the hooded crow has a completely black plumage.
im Flug (CC BY-SA 3.0) Arnstein Rønning

In the city

Hooded crows are often seen in urban environments and can be observed in numerous habitats including inner cities. Their distribution is mainly limited to eastern Germany though. They are omnivores and in urban settings increasingly live on food scraps.

In spring, juvenile hooded crows not yet able to fly can be found sitting on the ground as branchlings. They continue to be fed by their parents. Do not pick up or take away these birds. The parents are often close by and may even attack humans.

Fun Facts

  • Hooded crows are in strong competition with magpies for nesting sites.

  • It is a colour variant of the carrion crow and not a separate species. Its twin species is the pure black carrion crow.

  • Hooded crows can be seen in Germany all year round.

  • In winter, they form large flocks with other raven birds such as rooks, carrion crows and jackdaws.

  • Endangerment level Germany: not endangered
Habitus (CC BY-SA 2.0) ponafotkas

Sources

Habitus , Francisco M. Marzoa, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CrowHelsinki.jpg

im Flug, Arnstein Rønning, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Corvus_cornix_ar.JPG

Habitus , ponafotkas, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Corvus_cornix_-perching-8.jpg

Harrison, C. (1975) Jungvögel, Eier und Nester aller Vögel Europas, Nordafrikas und des Mittleren Ostens - Ein Naturführer zur Fortpflanzungsbiologie, Hamburg und Berlin: Verlag Paul Parey.

Page „Aaskrähe“. : Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Date of last revision: 25.03.2016, 15:03 UTC. URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aaskr%C3%A4he&oldid=152854975 (Accessed: 20.04.2016).

Artenfinder (2016) Corvus cornix (Nebelkrähe), URL: https://arteninfo.net/elearning/voegel/speciesportrait/3176 (Accessed: 20.04.2016).

NABU – Naturschutzbund Deutschland e.V. (n.d.) Stunde der Wintervögel. Rabenvögel im Vergleich, URL: https://www.nabu.de/tiere-und-pflanzen/aktionen-und-projekte/stunde-der-wintervoegel/voegel-bestimmen/13137.html (Accessed: 12.10.2016).

NABU – Naturschutzbund Deutschland e.V. (n.d.) Stunde der Wintervögel. Die Nebelkrähe, URL: https://www.nabu.de/tiere-und-pflanzen/aktionen-und-projekte/stunde-der-wintervoegel/vogelportraets/14394.html (Accessed: 12.10.2016).

Witt, K. & Steiof, K. (2013) Rote Liste und Liste der Brutvögel von Berlin, 3. version, 15.11.2013. : Berliner Ornithologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft e.V. (eds.) Berliner Ornithologischer Bericht, volume 23, Berlin: Berliner Ornithologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft e.V., 1-23.

NABU – Naturschutzbund Deutschland e.V. (2016) Rote Liste der Brutvögel Deutschlands. 5. version, published August 2016, URL: https://www.nabu.de/tiere-und-pflanzen/voegel/artenschutz/rote-listen/10221.html (Accessed: 07.04.2017).