With the exception of southern South America, the crow (genus Corvus) is a glossy black bird found in most regions of the world. Crows are smaller and have a thinner beak than ravens, which are of the same genus. Crows are the name given to a vast number of the 40 or more Corvus species, and the term has also been used to other, unrelated birds. Large crows have wingspans of up to one meter and are around 0.5 meters (20 inches) long (39 inches).

Crows eat mostly on the ground, where they move about with purpose. They are meat-eating omnivores who may assault and kill young, weak animals. This behavior, as well as the bird’s proclivity for raiding grain fields, makes them unpopular with farmers. Berries, insects, other birds’ eggs, and carrion are also consumed. Crows will steal roadkill shards and stash them in trees, just like a leopard does with its prey. Seeds are sometimes buried or stored in cracks in the bark. They occasionally take food from other species, and they have been known to work together with other crows to raid the meals of otters, vultures, and water birds.

Crows live in big, close-knit families that not only hunt and forage together but also defend territory and care for their young. The majority of species, on the other hand, do not lay their eggs in colonies. Each mating couple has its own stick and twig nest, which is generally high in a tree. Five or six greenish-olive eggs with darker speckles have been deposited. Young crows may stay with their parents for up to six years before reproducing on their own. Northern crows congregate in huge night-roosting flocks as winter approaches. These flocks can number in the tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of birds. Warmth, protection from predators like owls, or information sharing are all possible explanations for this seasonal gregariousness. In the wild, a crow may live for 13 years, while in captivity, they can survive for more than 20 years.

Crows are highly clever and maybe excellent mimics. They’ve been taught to count to seven, and some have mastered over 100 words and up to 50 entire phrases; others have been known to imitate their owners’ voices to summon dogs and tease horses. They also show a lot of curiosity, earning them a reputation as cunning pranksters and cunning burglars. They fly away with people’s mail, rip clothespins off clotheslines, and steal unsecured items like vehicle keys. The New Caledonian crow (C. moneduloides) and the ‘alal, or Hawaiian crow (C. hawaiiensis) forage for food with stick-like foraging tools in small holes and crevices. Only a small number of animal species employ such complex tools.

The American crow (C. brachyrhynchos) of North America and the carrion crow (C. corone) of Europe and much of Asia are two common crows. The hooded crow is a carrion crow subspecies with gray on the back of the neck and breast (C. corone cornix). It may be found between western Europe and eastern Asia, as well as in the northern British Isles, and is sometimes regarded as a distinct species.

Download Crow Silhouette PNG vector transparent background images