Australian Crow vs Carrion Crow

Australian Crow

Corvus

How to recognise an Australian crow?

General appearance

Australian crows are large, robust birds, often mistaken for ravens due to their pitch-black feathers which display a slightly glossy sheen. White patches of feathers are rare but can occur. They have solid muscular legs and stout black beaks.

Male vs female

There is little sexual dimorphism in the Australian crow species making it hard to differentiate between males and females. Size tends not to be a reliable indicator of sex, as both are generally of similar size. However, vocalizations can be a good hint since females generally have higher-pitched calls than males.

Juvenile

Juvenile Australian crows resemble adults in their dark feather coloration yet are slightly smaller in size. Their eyes gradually change color from blue or grey in fledglings to the adult crow's characteristic white as they mature.

Size

16.9 - 21.3 in/9.9 - 28.9 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The Australian crow primarily inhabits woodlands, forests, and suburban areas throughout Australia.

Additional range

Unexpectedly, it’s also found in drier areas like deserts, adapting well to various climates from tropical to temperate.

Range Map

What do Australian crows like to eat?

Natural diet

Australian crows have an omnivorous diet. They consume a variety of foods including insects, small animals, fruits, seeds, and carrion. They are known for their adaptability and can eat almost anything available in their environment, including roadkill or leftovers from other animals.

Bird feeders

While crows are not common visitors to typical bird feeders, they may occasionally be attracted to those offering larger food items. Crows may eat suet, peanuts, or sunflower seeds if easily accessible. Their preference for more substantial food means they are less frequent at feeders designed for smaller birds.

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Carrion Crow

Corvus corone

How to recognise a carrion crow?

General appearance

The Carrion Crow is roughly 46-51 cm long with a wingspan of 93–104 cm. It has a pure black plumage, slightly glossy, with a strong, black bill, and black legs. Its eyes are dark brown or grey. It flies with a slow heavy flapping, and has a distinct 'cash' sound.

Male vs female

Males are slightly larger than females, but otherwise, the sexes are very similar in appearance. Generally, females may have a slightly lighter build, but it is challenging to distinguish between the two based solely on physical appearance.

Juvenile

Juvenile Carrion Crows are remarkably similar to adults, still black but slightly less glossy. Their eyes initially are blue, gradually changing to brown in the first year. They lack the ruffled plumage around the neck seen in adults.

Size

18.9 - 20.9 in/14.0 - 21.2 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

Carrion crows typically inhabit open areas, farmlands, coastlines, woodlands and urban areas across Western Europe and Eastern Asia.

Additional range

They thrive in a range of climates, from chilly European winters to warm, humid Asian summers. Unexpectedly, they can also adapt to highly urbanized areas, including city centres.

Range Map

What do carrion crows like to eat?

Natural diet

Carrion crows have an omnivorous diet. They consume carrion, small mammals, birds' eggs, young birds, insects, and other invertebrates. They are also known to eat amphibians, reptiles, and some plant matter like seeds, fruits, and grains. Their opportunistic feeding habits allow them to adapt to various environments.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, carrion crows are attracted to various types of food typically provided for other birds. They often consume peanuts, sunflower seeds, suet, and occasionally leftover scraps of food. Their adaptable nature makes them common visitors to bird feeders, where they capitalize on the readily available food sources.

What does a carrion crow sound like?

The carrion crow's vocalizations are loud and usually high-pitched, often characterized as harsh sounds or caws. Its primary call is a hard, sharp "kraa" or "kraa-kraa" that it repeats several times. Some describe its typical calls as raucous, varied, and repetitive. Though lacking a melodic song, the crow can mimic sounds from its environment including other birds and human-made noises. These behaviors, complemented by its complex communicative system, make its vocal repertoire quite diverse.

Call

Audio by Marie-Lan Taÿ Pamart

/ CC BY-SA 4.0

Call

Audio by Marie-Lan Taÿ Pamart

/ CC BY-SA 4.0

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Australian Crow

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Carrion Crow

Australian Crow

Corvus

General appearance

Australian crows are large, robust birds, often mistaken for ravens due to their pitch-black feathers which display a slightly glossy sheen. White patches of feathers are rare but can occur. They have solid muscular legs and stout black beaks.

Male vs female

There is little sexual dimorphism in the Australian crow species making it hard to differentiate between males and females. Size tends not to be a reliable indicator of sex, as both are generally of similar size. However, vocalizations can be a good hint since females generally have higher-pitched calls than males.

Juvenile

Juvenile Australian crows resemble adults in their dark feather coloration yet are slightly smaller in size. Their eyes gradually change color from blue or grey in fledglings to the adult crow's characteristic white as they mature.

Size

16.9 - 21.3 in/9.9 - 28.9 oz

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Carrion Crow

Corvus corone

General appearance

The Carrion Crow is roughly 46-51 cm long with a wingspan of 93–104 cm. It has a pure black plumage, slightly glossy, with a strong, black bill, and black legs. Its eyes are dark brown or grey. It flies with a slow heavy flapping, and has a distinct 'cash' sound.

Male vs female

Males are slightly larger than females, but otherwise, the sexes are very similar in appearance. Generally, females may have a slightly lighter build, but it is challenging to distinguish between the two based solely on physical appearance.

Juvenile

Juvenile Carrion Crows are remarkably similar to adults, still black but slightly less glossy. Their eyes initially are blue, gradually changing to brown in the first year. They lack the ruffled plumage around the neck seen in adults.

Size

18.9 - 20.9 in/14.0 - 21.2 oz

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How to tell the Australian Crow from the Carrion Crow

Visual differences

The Australian Crow and the Carrion Crow can be distinguished visually by a few key features. The Australian Crow is slightly heavier, weighing up to 1.81 lbs compared to the Carrion Crow's maximum of 1.33 lbs. Australian Crows have bright eyes, typically white, contrasted by the Carrion Crow's dark brown or grey eyes. Both species have glossy black plumage, but the Carrion Crow often appears less glossy. The Australian Crow's size ranges from 16.9-21.3 inches, while the Carrion Crow is generally 18.9-20.1 inches long. Both have stout black beaks and muscular legs but typically differ in eye color.

Key differences and behavior

Australian Crows and Carrion Crows share intelligence and adaptability, yet display distinctive behaviors. Both species are socially inclined and partake in cooperative breeding, with lifelong bonds and mutual chick-rearing. Australian Crows, found in diverse habitats from arid deserts to suburban areas, are known for their opportunistic diet, rarely visiting bird feeders due to preference for larger, varied foods. Carrion Crows inhabit open areas and urban settings across Western Europe and Eastern Asia. They frequently visit feeders, driven by their opportunistic feeding on grains, carrion, and small animals. Australian Crows fiercely defend offspring against predators, including humans, while Carrion Crows maintain a wariness of humans. Nesting involves twigs, with bones included by Carrion Crows. Australian Crows' courtship involves elaborate vocal and aerial displays; Carrion Crows engage in complex acrobatics and mutual preening. Though similar in length (17-21 inches), Australian Crows weigh more (10-29 oz) compared to Carrion Crows (14-21 oz).