5 things you might not know about the carrion crow

3 min read
Carrion crow, a black UK garden bird

Carrion crows are often written off as scruffy scavengers, but they are among the cleverest animals in our gardens. Here are five things about them.

1. They can tell 20 dots from 30, but they don't count like we do

In an experiment at the University of Tübingen, carrion crows were shown a set of dots and had to respond only when a second set held the same number. The numbers ran from 1 to 30, and the crows were right about four times in five. But this is estimating, not counting as we do it. The dots appeared all at once, and the larger the number, the bigger the gap the crows needed to tell two sets apart, so two is easy to tell from one while 28 and 30 start to blur. Crows also recognise human and crow faces, and their brains are built very differently from ours, which suggests crows and primates evolved these abilities separately.

2. They are almost identical to the hooded crow

Genome sequencing shows that carrion and hooded crows differ in less than 0.28% of their DNA, in a small region of one chromosome. That region switches off the black pigment on the hooded crow's body, leaving it grey. The two can breed together, but almost always pick a mate that looks like themselves.

3. Last year's chicks stay to help

The female incubates three or four eggs alone for 18 to 20 days while the male feeds her, and the young fledge at around 29 to 30 days. Offspring from the previous year often stay on to help feed the new chicks instead of looking for a mate.

4. Their black is not plain black

The plumage has a green or purple sheen, much greener than a rook's gloss. A carrion crow is 48 to 52 centimetres long, compared with 63 centimetres for a raven, and weighs 400 to 600 grams. Young crows are brownish with blue eyes, which darken as they age.

5. They bow as they call

A crow's call is a deep, guttural kraa, different from any rook note. Crows also make clicking sounds, and they bow their heads with each caw.

A note on names

Corone, the second half of the scientific name Corvus corone, comes from the Greek for crow, and corvus is the Latin for raven. A flock of crows is traditionally called a murder. If you know any crow folklore, I would love to hear it.

What carrion crows like to eat, and where

Carrion crows eat almost anything: carrion, insects, earthworms and eggs. They are clever enough to take over a feeder, so if you would like the smaller birds to get a look in, our Medusa Defender is designed to stop crows, jackdaws, magpies and pigeons reaching your hanging feeders. Fill a Little Lantern seed feeder with our seasonal bird food for the smaller birds. If you are not sure which feeder suits your garden, our feeding quiz will point you in the right direction.

Want to keep track of the carrion crows in your garden? Amidst the Birdsong: A Garden Birdwatcher's Journal is made for exactly that.

Want to read about more garden birds? See all the birds in this series.

While you're here

Because there's always something worth knowing about the birds in your garden.
Clare Cahill

Thank you for reading!

Clare Cahill is a bird enthusiast with a passion for observing and learning. While she definitely doesn’t have a formal degree in ornithology, Clare has dedicated hours to reading birding books and exploring nature, constantly expanding her knowledge and deepening her love for wildlife.

For Clare, birdwatching brings a sense of calm and connection to the world, offering a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. She believes that the more we connect with nature, the more we can do to protect and conserve it. Through her writing, Clare hopes to inspire others to take a moment to pause, look up, and appreciate the calm and connection that comes from letting a little wildness into our everyday lives.

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