Corvus splendens
The House Crow, Corvus splendens, is a medium-sized passerine bird characterized by its sleek, glossy black head, throat, and upper breast, contrasting sharply with a silvery-grey nape, back, and underparts. Measuring approximately 40-43 cm (16-17 inches) in length with a wingspan of 76-85 cm (30-33 inches) and weighing between 250-350 grams, it possesses a stout black bill and dark eyes. This species is easily distinguished from other crows by its distinctive bi-colored plumage. Belonging to...
Primarily an urban and suburban species, thriving in human-dominated landscapes such as towns, cities, agricultural areas, and coastal settlements. Exclusively found in lowlands, rarely occurring above 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) elevation.
An omnivorous and highly opportunistic scavenger, their diet includes insects, small vertebrates (lizards, nestlings), eggs, carrion, fruits, seeds, grain, nectar, and a significant proportion of human refuse.
House Crows are highly diurnal, typically forming large communal roosts in trees or on buildings at dusk, which can number in the thousands, and dispersing at dawn to forage. Their foraging strategy is opportunistic and diverse, including ground foraging, scavenging, and occasional aerial hawking...
The native range of the House Crow spans South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and parts of southern Thailand and Iran. This species has, however, achieved a far wider global distribution through human-assisted introductions, establishing invasive populatio...
Least Concern
- The House Crow is considered one of the world's most invasive bird species, largely due to its remarkable adaptability to human environments and its ability to hitchhike on ships to new continents. - Despite its 'pest' status in many introduced regions, it is revered in some native cultures, su...