Crows and jays · Perching birds
Hooded Crow
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Corvus cornix
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Voice
Call
Song
How to recognize it
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About 50 cm long
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Ash-grey body; black head, throat, wings and tail
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Slow, heavy, usually straight flight
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Hoarse caw, "karr" with a muffled ending
About the species
The Hooded Crow has an ash-grey body set against glossy black feathers on its head, throat, wings and tail. A black bib covers the upper chest, while its dark bill and legs sharpen the contrast. In flight, the grey body remains clear between black wings and tail.
It crosses the ground in long strides, then switches to hops when it spots food or senses danger. Its rough call is a hoarse "carr" with a clipped ending. Leftovers may be tucked into a flowerpot, gutter or soil under a bush, and another crow may watch and search the cache later.
You may meet it in parks and squares as well as woods and open country. It eats scraps, seeds, insects, carrion and other available food. City populations often stay year-round, while some crows from woods and rural areas move toward towns for winter; the far northern edge is left in winter.
Did you know?
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Crusts crushed by tram
Hooded crows lift shells into the air and drop them on stones, while stale crusts they soak in a puddle or lay on the tram rails so the tram crushes the treat for them.
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Tag-team dog-fur heist
Hooded crows team up to pluck a shedding dog: one or two birds distract it from the front while a third sneaks in from behind, snatches a tuft of fur from the tail or back, and darts away.
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Ant-acid parasite bath
Hooded crows dig open an ant hill and freeze above it, letting the ants douse their plumage with acid that kills parasites.
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Where to find
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On city streets, watch the Hooded Crow drop a walnut onto the asphalt to crack it.
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Beside puddles, watch for stale bread being soaked before it is eaten.
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In spring, check thick branch forks in city parks and squares for nests.
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In autumn, look around dumps and rubbish heaps for large gatherings at food sources.
