Alternative names: New Guinea Crow (orru); Papuan Crow (orru); Tanimbar Crow (latirostris)
- Corvus orru
Includes: Australian Crow
Identification
48 - 53cm (19-20¾ in).
- Plumage glossy black
- Iris white, pale blue in West Papua and Tanimbar
- Stout, black bill.
- Short tail
- Base of the head and neck feathers snow white (in hand)
Sexes similar, juveniles are duller than adults and have dark eyes
Similar species
Slightly smaller than Australian Raven and Little Raven. More heavy built, broader and squarer tail than Little Crow.
Distribution
North and west Australia, New Guinea and the Moluccas.
Generally abundant and widespread.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
This is a polytypic species[1] consisting of three subspecies:
- C. o. orru from the Moluccas to New Guinea
- C. o. latirostris on Babar and Tanimbar Islands
- C. o. cecilae in Australia
Bismarck Crow was formerly included in this species.
Cecilae was formerly regarded as distinctive species, Australian Crow.
Habitat
Rainforest edges, open forests and woodlands, taller scrublands, beaches, along watercourses with tall timber, farms and croplands.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds mainly on grain, invertebrates, small birds, fish, carrion, eggs, nestlings, fruit and occasionally nectar. Forages mainly along the ground.
Breeding
Breeding recorded in all months in Australia. Both sexes build a stick nest lined with grass in a tall tree and 2-4 eggs are laid. Both sexes feed the young.
Movements
Resident species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507
- Simpson, K and N Day. 1998. Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-4877-5
- birdforum thread containing among others a link to a paper stating that Bismark Crow should be a full species
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Torresian Crow. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 25 April 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Torresian_Crow
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
