The House Crow stands out with its grey neck and belly, contrasting its otherwise black feathers. With a size of around 16 inches, this crow species is on the smaller side. While primarily recognized in India, it has adapted to diverse regions, including Africa, Europe, and other parts of Asia.
A true omnivore, the House Crow consumes a range of diets from plant-based materials to various types of meat, often scavenging around human population centers.
The New Caledonian Crow is mid-sized, boasting up to 16 inches long. It has iridescent black plumage and beaks with lower mandibles slightly curved upward.
This type of crow takes residence in the primary forests of New Caledonia, a group of islands in the South Pacific.
Named for their home, the Bougainville Crow inhabits the rainforests of Bougainville Island in Papua New Guinea. This moderate-sized crow comes in around 16 inches long. They don a uniform black plumage with blue gloss at the head and a purple sheen at the upperparts. Their large beaks are strongly arched downwards.
The Cuban Crow is one of the Caribbean crows alongside the White-necked Crow (Corvus leucognaphalus) and Palm Crow (Corvus palmarum). They reach sizes of up to 17 inches long. Their plumage displays a glossy, deep black hue and long, gently curved beaks.
Native to Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud, these crows inhabit both forests and agricultural lands. As omnivores, they consume a vast diet ranging from seeds and fruits to tiny insects.
The Torresian Crow, a native of Australia and Papua New Guinea, stands out due to its size. Typically measuring 19-21 inches, it is notably one of the largest species within the crow family. It boasts the standard black plumage and eyes with a white iris and blue ring.
Moreover, this bird thrives across various habitats near bodies of water, from swamps to eucalyptus woodland. They are also common in farmlands and urban landscapes.
The Tamaulipas Crow, distinctively smaller than the average crow, measures around 15 inches long. Exhibiting a glossy black body and slender bill, these crows stand out for their unique charcoal-grey eyes, deviating from the usual dark eyes of standard crows.
This type of crow inhabits the Northeastern plains of Mexico and southernmost Texas. Unlike other bird relatives, they have a low, croaking call, unlike the harsh caw that most crows are known for.
The Sinaloa crow (Corvus sinaloae) is a crow native to western Mexico.
The Sinaloa Crow, a species exclusive to Mexico's Pacific coast, is a relatively small crow, standing at a modest 14-15 inches. It's similar to the previous type of crow, but Sinaloa Crows have high-pitched calls.
The long-billed crow (Corvus validus) is a crow that is endemic to the Northern Maluku Islands. This crow is large with glossy plumage, a large bill and white irises. It is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as a "near-threatened species".
The Long-billed Crow, endemic to the Maluku Islands in Indonesia, is a distinctive crow with a long beak, relatively short tail, and white iris. Akin to other crows, its plumage is black but measures up to 21 inches larger.
In 2016, IUCN reassessed these forest-dwelling birds and changed their status from "least concern" to "near threatened." The declining population results from habitat loss due to commercial logging and agricultural conversion4.
The Large-billed Crow, formerly called the Jungle Crow, is characterized chiefly by its substantial bill, with the upper part thick and arched. It showcases dark gray and glossy black plumage with a robust body measuring up to 23 inches long.
Geographically, this species is widely distributed across Asia and adaptable to forests and human-dominated landscapes.
The Slender-billed Crow, native to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, is identifiable by its long, thin beak and jet-black plumage. Measuring about 16 inches from beak to tail, they are pretty similar in size to other common crows. You’d find them in the subtropical and tropical forests in Southeast Asia.
