Carrion Crow vs Torresian 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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Torresian Crow

Corvus orru

Also known as: Australian Crow, Papuan Crow

How to recognise a Torresian crow?

General appearance

The Torresian Crow (Corvus orru) is a large black bird with a slightly curved bill and black feathers that may display a bluish-purple sheen in direct sunlight. Its eyes are stark white or grey, surrounded by a ring of bare skin, a prominent feature. They are approximately 50-55cm in length, with a wingspan of around 1 metre.

Male vs female

There is little sexual dimorphism within the Torresian Crow species. However, males are typically slightly larger than females, but this difference is subtle and can be difficult to discern in the wild.

Juvenile

Juvenile Torresian Crows resemble adults but their eyes are blue-grey at the initial stage. The plumage is slightly duller and lacks the adult's sheen. The bill of a juvenile crow is typically shorter and the bare skin around their eyes develops as they mature.

Size

18.9 - 20.9 in/15.2 - 24.7 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The Torresian crow inhabits a wide range of habitats including forest edges, woodlands, grasslands, and mangroves mainly in Northern and Eastern Australia.

Additional range

This crow species is capable of inhabiting urban areas. It has adapted well to a variety of climates, from the tropics to temperate regions.

Range Map

What do Torresian crows like to eat?

Natural diet

The Torresian crow is an omnivorous bird that includes a wide range of food sources in its natural diet. It primarily feeds on insects, small mammals, and eggs. This crow also consumes a variety of plant matter such as seeds, berries, and fruits. It often forages on the ground for invertebrates, carrion, and discarded human food.

Bird feeders

While the Torresian crow is not a frequent visitor to bird feeders, it may occasionally be attracted to them, particularly if they offer fatty or energy-rich foods. These crows may consume suet, peanuts, and other nuts, as well as any available fruit pieces. Additionally, they might scavenge for various bird seed mixes, although this is less common.

What does a Torresian crow sound like?

The Torresian crow, a common Australian bird, has a deep, resonant "ark-ark-ark" or "aw-aw-aw" call that’s distinctive and can go on for several seconds. These crows are clever mimics and their vocalizations may also include a range of noises, including human speech, if trained. Their songs, however, aren't as melodious and typically consist of longer sequences of the same raspy caw, often used to communicate with each other over distance.

Call

Audio by 7575u

/ CC BY-SA 4.0

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Carrion Crow

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Torresian 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

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Torresian Crow

Corvus orru

Also known as: Australian Crow, Papuan Crow

General appearance

The Torresian Crow (Corvus orru) is a large black bird with a slightly curved bill and black feathers that may display a bluish-purple sheen in direct sunlight. Its eyes are stark white or grey, surrounded by a ring of bare skin, a prominent feature. They are approximately 50-55cm in length, with a wingspan of around 1 metre.

Male vs female

There is little sexual dimorphism within the Torresian Crow species. However, males are typically slightly larger than females, but this difference is subtle and can be difficult to discern in the wild.

Juvenile

Juvenile Torresian Crows resemble adults but their eyes are blue-grey at the initial stage. The plumage is slightly duller and lacks the adult's sheen. The bill of a juvenile crow is typically shorter and the bare skin around their eyes develops as they mature.

Size

18.9 - 20.9 in/15.2 - 24.7 oz

There's more to learn about Torresian Crow

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How to tell the Carrion Crow from the Torresian Crow

Visual differences

The Carrion Crow (18-20 inches, wingspan 37-41 inches) is slightly smaller than the Torresian Crow (20-22 inches, wingspan ~39 inches). Both have glossy black plumage, but the Torresian Crow may have a bluish-purple sheen. Their beaks differ; the Carrion Crow's bill is straight and black, whereas the Torresian Crow's has a slight curve. Notably, the Torresian Crow features stark white or grey eyes with a bare skin ring, while the Carrion Crow has dark brown/grey eyes. Juveniles of both species have duller plumage and different eye colors in early stages.

Key differences and behavior

The Carrion Crow and Torresian Crow display distinct behavioral and ecological adaptations. Carrion Crows exhibit high intelligence, using tools and adapting to various European and Asian climates, thriving in urban environments. They are omnivorous, feeding opportunistically on carrion, small animals, and plant matter, and frequent bird feeders. Torresian Crows, also intelligent, excel in teamwork to obtain food and prefer the tropics and temperate zones of Northern and Eastern Australia. They are less common at bird feeders but forage similarly, including scavenging human food debris. Both species engage in complex courtship with lifelong pairing, but while Carrion Crows nest in a variety of environments, Torresian Crows consistently return to familiar territories. Carrion Crows build with twigs and softer materials in urban gardens, while Torresian Crows use branches and grasses, adapting to taller urban vegetation. Both species demonstrate high adaptability but differ distinctly in regional habitats and behavioral patterns.