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Difference between revisions of "House Crow" - BirdForum Opus

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[[category:incomplete]]
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'''Alternative names: Indian Crow; Indian House Crow; Grey-necked Crow; Colombo Crow'''
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;Corvus splendens
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[[Image:House_Crow_Pair.JPG|thumb|550px|right|Nominate subspecies, pair nesting in the neighborhood tree<br />Photo by {{user|aloktewari|Alok Tewari}}<br />Delhi, [[India]], 12 May 2011]]
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[[Image:House_Crow.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by rony_roshtov <br/> Location: Eylat, Israel]]
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;[[:Category:Corvus|Corvus]] splendens
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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40 cm. The forehead, crown, throat and upper breast are black, neck and breast are a lighter grey-brown in colour. The wings, tail and legs are black.  
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40 - 43cm (15¾-17 in). A small and slim-bodied crow.
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* Prominent, long black bill, slightly arched and enhanced by short forecrown
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* Plumage blackish-slate, blacker and glosser on face, forecrown, chin and throat
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* Mantle, side of neck and side of breast medium-grey, shading into blackish-grey on back and belly. Much paler grey in ''zugmayeri'', with almost no contrast to black in ''insolens''
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* Dark brown iris
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* Black legs
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Sexes similar. Juveniles are duller than adults.
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====Similar species====
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[[Image:A00 1490 800.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|AJDH|AJDH}}<br/>Badaan Farm, [[Bahrain]], 6 June 2008 ]]
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The subspecies ''insolens'' may be confused with [[Large-billed Crow]]. Note the shape of the head and the size.
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
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[[Pakistan]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Maldives]] and [[Laccadive Islands]], South West [[Thailand]] and coastal southern [[Iran]].  
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[[Pakistan]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Maldives]] and [[India]], [[Burma]], [[Bhutan]], [[Nepal]] and coastal southern [[Iran]]. Spreads to Eastern [[Africa]] (as blind passengers on ships) and the [[Middle East]].<br />
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Abundant in most of its range.
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
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====Subspecies====
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This is a [[Dictionary_M-S#P|polytypic]] species<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup> consisting of 5 subspecies:
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* ''C. s. zugmayeri'' found from southeast [[Iran]] to [[Pakistan]], northwest and northcentral [[India]]
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* ''C. s. splendens'' in most of the [[India]]n Peninsula, [[Nepal]], [[Bhutan]] and [[Bangladesh]], ship-assisted immigrant to western [[Australia]]
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* ''C. s. maldevicus'' in the [[Maldives]]
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* ''C. s. protegatus'' in southwest [[India]] and [[Sri Lanka]]
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* ''C. s. insolens'' in extreme south [[China]] ([[Tibet]] and Yunnan) and [[Burma]]
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Introduced populations in many cities and harbours around the Indian Ocean and beyond. Occurs in the Western Palearctic in [[Egypt]] and [[Israel]]. Sometimes in [[Europe]]an ports like Rotterdam.
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[[Image:331Dscn6757 House Crow.jpg|thumb|350px|right|subspecies ''protegatus''<br />Photo by {{user|Dave+Smith|Dave Smith}}<br/>[[Sri Lanka]], August 2003 ]]
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
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Small villages to large cities.
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In a variety of tropical and subtropical habitats, usually near cities, towns or villages.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
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Usually seen in groups, sometimes big flocks. Has little fear of man but is always alert and constantly wary.
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====Diet====
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Diet includes human scraps, small reptiles and other animals such as insects and other small invertebrates, eggs, nestlings, grain and fruits.<br />
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Does great damage to crops and known to kill newborn domestic animals.<br />
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====Breeding====
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Breeding season varies in its range. It lays 3-6 eggs in a typical stick nest, and occasionally there are several nests in the same tree. In South Asia they are parasitized by the [[Asian Koel]].
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====Movements====
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A resident species with some short-distance movements.
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====Vocalisation====
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{{ Audio|house_crow_alok.mp3 }}
  
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Diet includes human scraps, small reptiles and other animals such as insects and other small invertebrates, eggs, nestlings, grain and fruits.
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Recording by {{user|aloktewari|Alok Tewari}}<br />
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Dist. Gurgaon, Haryana, [[India]], Feb-2016<br />
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Call given by two birds one calling softly and other loudly.
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==Gallery==
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Click images to see larger version
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<gallery>
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Image:House_Crow.jpg|By {{user|rony_roshtov|rony_roshtov}}<br />Eilat, [[Israel]], 7 October 2005
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Image:House_Crow_Immature.JPG|Immature<br />By {{user|aloktewari|Alok Tewari}}<br />Delhi, [[India]], 11 Aug 2015
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Image:House_Crow_Koel.JPG|Adult feeding parasitic Asian Koel immature<br />By {{user|aloktewari|Alok Tewari}}<br />Delhi, [[India]], 27 Aug 2010
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</gallery>
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==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug16}}#{{Ref-HBWVol14}}
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{{Ref}}
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==External Links==
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{{GSearch|"Corvus splendens" {{!}} "House Crow" {{!}} "Grey-necked Crow" {{!}} "Colombo Crow" {{!}} "Indian Crow"}}
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<br />
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{{VSearch|"Corvus splendens" {{!}} "House Crow" {{!}} "Grey-necked Crow" {{!}} "Colombo Crow" {{!}} "Indian Crow"}}
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{{GS-checked}}1
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<br />
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<br />
  
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It lays 3-6 eggs in a typical stick nest, and occasionally there are several nests in the same tree. In South Asia they are parasitized by the [[Asian Koel]].
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[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Corvus]] [[Category:Videos]] [[Category:Bird Songs]]
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==External Links==
 
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*[http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showgallery.php?mcats=all&what=allfields&si=Corvus+splendens+ View more images of House Crow in the gallery]
 
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[[Category:Birds]]
 

Latest revision as of 11:05, 4 June 2023

Alternative names: Indian Crow; Indian House Crow; Grey-necked Crow; Colombo Crow

Nominate subspecies, pair nesting in the neighborhood tree
Photo by Alok Tewari
Delhi, India, 12 May 2011
Corvus splendens

Identification

40 - 43cm (15¾-17 in). A small and slim-bodied crow.

  • Prominent, long black bill, slightly arched and enhanced by short forecrown
  • Plumage blackish-slate, blacker and glosser on face, forecrown, chin and throat
  • Mantle, side of neck and side of breast medium-grey, shading into blackish-grey on back and belly. Much paler grey in zugmayeri, with almost no contrast to black in insolens
  • Dark brown iris
  • Black legs

Sexes similar. Juveniles are duller than adults.

Similar species

Photo by AJDH
Badaan Farm, Bahrain, 6 June 2008

The subspecies insolens may be confused with Large-billed Crow. Note the shape of the head and the size.

Distribution

Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and India, Burma, Bhutan, Nepal and coastal southern Iran. Spreads to Eastern Africa (as blind passengers on ships) and the Middle East.
Abundant in most of its range.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

This is a polytypic species[1] consisting of 5 subspecies:

Introduced populations in many cities and harbours around the Indian Ocean and beyond. Occurs in the Western Palearctic in Egypt and Israel. Sometimes in European ports like Rotterdam.

subspecies protegatus
Photo by Dave Smith
Sri Lanka, August 2003

Habitat

In a variety of tropical and subtropical habitats, usually near cities, towns or villages.

Behaviour

Usually seen in groups, sometimes big flocks. Has little fear of man but is always alert and constantly wary.

Diet

Diet includes human scraps, small reptiles and other animals such as insects and other small invertebrates, eggs, nestlings, grain and fruits.
Does great damage to crops and known to kill newborn domestic animals.

Breeding

Breeding season varies in its range. It lays 3-6 eggs in a typical stick nest, and occasionally there are several nests in the same tree. In South Asia they are parasitized by the Asian Koel.

Movements

A resident species with some short-distance movements.

Vocalisation

Recording by Alok Tewari
Dist. Gurgaon, Haryana, India, Feb-2016
Call given by two birds one calling softly and other loudly.

Gallery

Click images to see larger version

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. 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

Recommended Citation

External Links


GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

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