Carrion Crow vs Hooded Crow

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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Hooded Crow

Corvus cornix

Also known as: Hoodie, Scotch Crow, Danish Crow, Gray Crow

How to recognise a hooded crow?

General appearance

Meet the hooded crow! A dazzling avian species with an absolutely enchanting appearance. Recognizable by a dark grey body contrasted with a glossy black head, throat, wings, and tail. The hooded crow flaunts a gorgeous plumage that shines in varying hues under the sunlight. They're medium-sized birds, standing tall at around 48cm with a wingspan up to 100cm - impossible to miss in the wild!

Male vs female

Moving on to the tricky task of distinguishing between males and females- it's quite a challenge! You see, there are no visual differences between the sexes! Both male and female hooded crows exhibit the same majestic blend of grey and black plumage. In fact, the only surefire way to tell them apart is during the breeding season when only females will be seen incubating eggs.

Juvenile

Onto the adorable juveniles, which start out with a rather duller color palette. Their plumage lacks the striking glossy finish of the adults, appearing more sooty black than glossy. Juveniles also host blue eyes instead of the brown seen in adults. But don't fret, with time, they grow into their stunning adult colors and truly become a sight to behold!

Size

18.9 - 21.3 in/14.0 - 21.2 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The Hooded Crow mainly inhabits northern and eastern Europe, and parts of the Middle East. It prefers open and agricultural areas, and thrives in coastal regions.

Additional range

Although unusual, Hooded Crows can also be found in urban areas, adapting to live in parks and gardens.

Range Map

What do hooded crows like to eat?

Natural diet

The hooded crow is an omnivorous bird with a diverse diet. In its natural habitat, it feeds on small mammals, eggs, and chicks of birds, as well as various invertebrates like insects and worms. Additionally, it consumes fruits, seeds, and grains. Scavenging is another crucial part of its diet, often feeding on carrion and discarded food waste.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, hooded crows are adaptable and will often consume a variety of offerings. They are attracted to suet, sunflower seeds, and peanuts. Occasionally, they may consume bread scraps and other household leftovers made available by people. Their opportunistic nature allows them to exploit these anthropogenic food sources effectively.

What does a hooded crow sound like?

The hooded crow is known for its range of vocalizations, including caws, coos, and rattles. It primarily uses two distinct calls: the familiar “kraa” sound with various pitches and rhythms, typically used in territorial displays or to alert others, and a quieter “knocking” sound for close interactions. These birds do not have a melodious song, but rather a series of calls exchanged in a cawing dialogue. Other sounds include harsh screeches and mimicry of other bird species. Their vocal complexity is said to reflect their high level of intelligence.

Call

Audio by Dimitǎr Boevski

/ CC BY-SA 4.0

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Carrion Crow

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Hooded Crow

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

There's more to learn about Carrion Crow

View full details

Hooded Crow

Corvus cornix

Also known as: Hoodie, Scotch Crow, Danish Crow, Gray Crow

General appearance

Meet the hooded crow! A dazzling avian species with an absolutely enchanting appearance. Recognizable by a dark grey body contrasted with a glossy black head, throat, wings, and tail. The hooded crow flaunts a gorgeous plumage that shines in varying hues under the sunlight. They're medium-sized birds, standing tall at around 48cm with a wingspan up to 100cm - impossible to miss in the wild!

Male vs female

Moving on to the tricky task of distinguishing between males and females- it's quite a challenge! You see, there are no visual differences between the sexes! Both male and female hooded crows exhibit the same majestic blend of grey and black plumage. In fact, the only surefire way to tell them apart is during the breeding season when only females will be seen incubating eggs.

Juvenile

Onto the adorable juveniles, which start out with a rather duller color palette. Their plumage lacks the striking glossy finish of the adults, appearing more sooty black than glossy. Juveniles also host blue eyes instead of the brown seen in adults. But don't fret, with time, they grow into their stunning adult colors and truly become a sight to behold!

Size

18.9 - 21.3 in/14.0 - 21.2 oz

There's more to learn about Hooded Crow

View full details

How to tell the Carrion Crow from the Hooded Crow

Visual differences

Visual differences between the Carrion Crow and Hooded Crow primarily involve plumage coloration. The Carrion Crow is uniformly glossy black, while the Hooded Crow features a contrasting dark grey body with a glossy black head, throat, wings, and tail. Both are similar in size: Carrion Crow (18-20 inches) and Hooded Crow (19 inches), with similar wingspans (approximately 37-39 inches). Both species have dark bills and legs. Juveniles of both species are less glossy, but differing in that the juvenile Carrion Crow remains black, while the Hooded Crow juvenile holds the same grey and black pattern.

Key differences and behavior

The Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) and the Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) both demonstrate high intelligence and adaptability. The Carrion Crow, wary of humans, thrives in diverse environments, including urban areas across Western Europe and Eastern Asia, while the Hooded Crow occupies northern and eastern Europe, favoring open and coastal regions. Both species build nests in tall trees or cliffs, but the Hooded Crow also uses large shrubs. In terms of diet, both crows are omnivorous and opportunistic, consuming small animals, fruits, and carrion, yet the Hooded Crow is noted for dropping mollusks to crack them open. While Carrion Crows form lifelong bonds, the Hooded Crows may remain monogamous for several seasons. Their shared intelligence is manifested in their use of tools and food-stashing behaviors. Both species are attracted to bird feeders for seeds, suet, and other human-provided food.