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{{About|bird species with the word "crow" in their common name|the genus containing crows|Corvus|the family containing crows|Corvidae|other uses}}
{{otheruses}}
[[File:Corvus corone -near Canford Cliffs, Poole, England-8.jpg|thumb|right|A [[carrion crow]] scavenging on a beach in [[Dorset, England]]]]
{{Mergeto|Corvus (genus)|date=February 2008}}
A '''crow''' (pronounced {{IPAc-en|'|k|r|oʊ}}) is a [[bird]] of the genus ''[[Corvus]]'', or more broadly, a synonym for all of ''Corvus''. The word "crow" is used as part of the common name of many species. The related term "[[raven]]" is not linked scientifically to any certain trait but is rather a general grouping for larger-sized species of ''Corvus''.
{{Refimprove|date=July 2007}}
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{{Taxobox
| name = Crow
| image = Corvus_corax_(FWS).jpg
| image_width = 260px
| image_caption = Common Raven (''Corvus corax'')
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[Bird|Aves]]
| ordo = [[Passerine|Passeriformes]]
| familia = [[Corvidae]]
| genus = [[Corvus (genus)|Corvus]]
| genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[1758]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
See text.}}


== Species ==
The true '''crows''' are large [[passerine]] [[bird]]s that form the [[genus]] ''Corvus'' in the family [[Corvidae]]. Ranging in size from the relatively small [[dove|pigeon]]-sized [[jackdaw]]s ([[Eurasian Jackdaw|Eurasian]] and [[Daurian Jackdaw|Daurian]]) to the [[Common Raven]] of the [[Holarctic]] region and [[Thick-billed Raven]] of the highlands of [[Ethiopia]], the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate [[continent]]s (except [[South America]]) and several offshore and oceanic islands (including [[Hawaii]]). In the [[United States]], the word "crow" is used to refer to the [[American Crow]].
{{seealso|List of Corvus species}}
The crow genus makes up a third of the species in the [[Corvidae]] family. Other corvids include [[rook (bird)|rook]]s and [[jay]]s. Crows appear to have evolved in Asia from the corvid stock, which had evolved in Australasia. A group of crows is called a "murder," though this term usually appears in poetry rather than scientific contexts.{{Fact|date=February 2009}}
* ''Corvus albus'' – [[Pied crow]] (Central African coasts to southern Africa)

* ''Corvus bennetti'' – [[Little crow (bird)|Little crow]] (Australia)
==Systematics==
* ''Corvus brachyrhynchos'' – [[American crow]] (United States, southern Canada, northern Mexico)
The genus was originally described by [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]] in his 18th century work ''[[Systema Naturae]]''.<ref>{{la icon}} {{cite book | last=Linnaeus | first=C | authorlink=Carolus Linnaeus | title=Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. | publisher=Holmiae. (Laurentii Salvii) | date=1758 | url=http://dz1.gdz-cms.de/index.php?id=img&no_cache=1&IDDOC=265100| page=824}}</ref> The name is derived from the [[Latin (language)|Latin]] ''corvus'' meaning "raven".<ref>{{cite book | last = Simpson | first = D.P. | title = Cassell's Latin Dictionary | publisher = Cassell Ltd. | date= 1979 | edition = 5 | location = London | url = | doi = | isbn = 0-304-52257-0 | page = 883}}</ref>
* ''Corvus capensis'' – [[Cape crow]] or Cape rook (Eastern and southern Africa)
The [[type species]] is the [[Common Raven]] ''(Corvus corax)''; others named in the same work include the [[Carrion Crow]] ''(C. corone)'', the [[Hooded Crow]] ''(C. cornix)'', the [[Rook (bird)|Rook]] ''(C. frugilegus)'', and the [[Jackdaw]] ''(C. monedula)''.
* ''Corvus cornix'' – [[Hooded crow]] (Northern and Eastern Europe and Northern Africa and Middle East)

* ''Corvus corone'' – [[Carrion crow]] (Europe and eastern Asia)
There is no good systematic approach to the genus at present. Generally, it is assumed that the species from a geographical area are more closely related to each other than to other lineages, but this is not necessarily correct. For example, while the Carrion/Collared/House Crow complex is certainly closely related to each other, the situation is not at all clear regarding the Australian/Melanesian species. Furthermore, as many species are similar in appearance, determining actual range and characteristics can be very difficult, such as in Australia where the five (possibly six) species are almost identical in appearance.
*''Corvus culminatus'' – [[Indian jungle crow]] (South Asia)

* ''Corvus edithae'' – [[Somali crow]] or dwarf raven (Eastern Africa)
The [[fossil record]] of crows is rather dense in Europe, but the relationships among most prehistoric species is not clear. Jackdaw-, crow- and raven-sized forms seem to have existed since long ago and crows were regularly hunted by humans up to the [[Iron Age]], documenting the evolution of the modern taxa. American crows are not as well-documented.
* ''Corvus enca'' – [[Slender-billed crow]] (Malaysia, Borneo, Indonesia)

* ''Corvus florensis'' – [[Flores crow]] (Flores Island)
A surprisingly high number of species have become [[extinct]] after human colonization, especially of island groups such as New Zealand, Hawaii and Greenland.
* ''Corvus fuscicapillus'' – [[Brown-headed crow]] (New Guinea)

* ''Corvus hawaiiensis'' (formerly ''C. tropicus'') – [[Hawaiian crow]] (Hawaii)
===Species===
* ''Corvus imparatus'' – [[Tamaulipas crow]] (Gulf of Mexico coast)
'''Australian and Melanesian species'''
* ''Corvus insularis'' – [[Bismarck crow]] (Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea)
*[[Australian Raven]] ''C. coronoides''
* ''Corvus jamaicensis'' – [[Jamaican crow]] (Jamaica)
*[[Forest Raven]] ''C. tasmanicus''
* ''Corvus kubaryi'' – [[Mariana crow]] or aga (Guam, Rota)
**Relict Raven ''C. (t.) boreus''
* ''Corvus leucognaphalus'' – [[White-necked crow]] (Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico)
*[[Little Crow (bird)|Little Crow]] ''C. bennetti''
*''Corvus levaillantii'' – [[Eastern jungle crow]] (India, Burma)
*[[Little Raven]] ''C. mellori''
* ''Corvus macrorhynchos'' – [[Large-billed crow]] (Eastern Asia)
*[[Torresian Crow]] ''C. orru'' (also known as the Australian crow)
* ''Corvus meeki'' – [[Bougainville crow]] or Solomon Islands crow (Papua New Guinea, Northern Solomon Islands)
*[[New Caledonian Crow]] ''C. moneduloides''
* ''Corvus moneduloides'' – [[New Caledonian crow]] (New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands)
*[[Long-billed Crow]] ''C. validus''
* ''Corvus nasicus'' – [[Cuban crow]] (Cuba, Isla de la Juventud, Grand Caicos Island)
*[[White-billed Crow]] ''C. woodfordi''
* ''Corvus orru'' – [[Torresian crow]] or Australian crow (Australia, New Guinea and nearby islands)
*[[Bougainville Crow]] ''C. meeki''
* ''Corvus ossifragus'' – [[Fish crow]] (Southeastern U.S. coast)
*[[Brown-headed Crow]] ''C. fuscicapillus''
* ''Corvus palmarum'' – [[Palm crow]] (Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic)
*[[Grey Crow]] ''C. tristis''
* ''Corvus sinaloae'' – [[Sinaloa crow]] (Pacific coast from Sonora to Colima)
*[[New Ireland Crow]], ''Corvus'' sp. ([[Late Quaternary prehistoric birds|prehistoric]])
* ''Corvus splendens'' – [[House crow]] or Indian house crow (South Asia, Middle East, east Africa)

* ''Corvus torquatus'' – [[Collared crow]] (Eastern China, south into Vietnam)
'''New Zealand species'''
* ''Corvus tristis'' – [[Grey crow]] or Bare-faced crow (New Guinea and neighboring islands)
* [[Chatham Islands Raven]], ''C. moriorum'' ([[Late Quaternary prehistoric birds|prehistoric]])
* ''Corvus typicus'' – [[Piping crow]] or Celebes pied crow (Sulawesi, Muna, Butung)
* [[New Zealand Raven]], ''C. antipodum'' ([[Late Quaternary prehistoric birds|prehistoric]])
* ''Corvus unicolor'' – [[Banggai crow]] (Banggai Island)

* ''Corvus validus'' – [[Long-billed crow]] (Northern Moluccas)
'''Pacific island species'''
* ''Corvus violaceus'' – [[Violet crow]] (Seram) – a split from [[slender-billed crow]]
*[[Mariana Crow]], ''C. kubaryi''
* ''Corvus woodfordi'' – [[White-billed crow]] or Solomon Islands crow (Solomon Islands)
*[[Hawaiian Crow]] or '''‘Alala''' ''C. hawaiiensis'' ([[extinct in the wild]], formerly ''C. tropicus'')
*[[High-billed Crow]], ''C. impluviatus'' ([[Late Quaternary prehistoric birds|prehistoric]])
*Robust Crow, ''C. viriosus'' ([[Late Quaternary prehistoric birds|prehistoric]])

'''Tropical Asian species'''
*[[Slender-billed Crow]] ''C. enca''
*[[Piping Crow]] ''C. typicus''
*[[Banggai Crow]] ''C. unicolor'' (possibly [[extinct]])
*[[Flores Crow]] ''C. florensis''
*[[Collared Crow]] ''C. torquatus''
[[Image:Dwlhany.jpg|thumb|220px|right|Daurian Jackdaws]]
*[[Daurian Jackdaw]] ''C. dauricus''
*[[House Crow]] ''C. splendens''
*[[Large-billed Crow]] ''C. macrorhynchos''
**[[Jungle Crow]] ''C. (m.) levaillantii''

'''Eurasian and North African species'''
*[[Brown-necked Raven]] ''C. ruficollis''
*[[Somali Crow]] or Dwarf Raven ''C. edithae''
*[[Fan-tailed Raven]] ''C. rhipidurus''
*[[Jackdaw]] ''C. monedula''
*[[Rook (bird)|Rook]] ''C. frugilegus''
*[[Hooded Crow]] ''C. cornix''
**Mesopotamian Crow, ''C. (c.) capellanus''
[[Image:crowinflight.jpg|thumb|220px|right|Carrion Crow in flight]]
*[[Carrion Crow]] ''C. corone''
**Carrion Crow (Eastern subspecies) ''C. (c.) orientalis''
*''Corvus larteti'' ([[fossil]]: Late Miocene of France, or C Europe?)<!-- PaleontogrItal89:3 -->
*''Corvus pliocaenus'' ([[fossil]]: Late Pliocene –? Early Pleistocene of SW Europe)<!-- Ardeola51:91 Boreas32:521 -->
*''Corvus antecorax'' ([[fossil]]: Late Pliocene/Early – Late Pleistocene of Europe; may be subspecies of ''[[Corvus corax]]''<!-- Ardeola51:91; Boreas32:521; ColoqPaleontol1:345 RevPortArqueol5:29 -->
*''Corvus betfianus'' ([[fossil]])
*''Corvus praecorax'' ([[fossil]])
*''Corvus simionescui'' ([[fossil]])
*''Corvus fossilis'' ([[fossil]])
*''Corvus moravicus'' ([[fossil]])
*''Corvus hungaricus'' ([[fossil]])

'''Holarctic species'''
[[Image:Crows In England.jpg|thumb|220px|right|Common Ravens at the [[Tower of London]]]]
*[[Common Raven]] ''C. corax'' (see also next section)
**[[Pied Raven]], ''C. c. varius'' morpha ''leucophaeus'' (an [[extinct]] color variant)

'''North and Central American species'''
*[[American Crow]] ''C. brachyrhynchos''
*[[Western Raven]] ''C. (corax) sinuatus''
*[[Chihuahuan Raven]] ''C. cryptoleucus''
*[[Fish Crow]] ''C. ossifragus''
*[[Northwestern Crow]] ''C. caurinus''
*[[Tamaulipas Crow]] ''C. imparatus''
*[[Sinaloan Crow]] ''C. sinaloae''
*[[Jamaican Crow]] ''C. jamaicensis''
*[[White-necked Crow]] ''C. leucognaphalus''
*[[Palm Crow]] ''C. palmarum''
*[[Cuban Crow]] ''C. nasicus''
*Puerto Rican Crow ''C. or "chango" "mozambique" pumilis'' ([[Late Quaternary prehistoric birds|prehistoric]]; possibly a subspecies of ''C. nasicus/palmarum'')
*''Corvus galushai'' ([[fossil]]: Big Sandy Late Miocene of Wickieup, USA)
*''Corvus neomexicanus'' ([[fossil]]: Late Pleistocene of Dry Cave, USA)<!-- Condor78:399 -->

'''Tropical African species'''
*[[Cape Crow]] ''C. capensis''
*[[Pied Crow]] ''C. albus''
*[[Somali Crow]] or '''Dwarf Raven''' ''C. edithae''
*[[Thick-billed Raven]] ''C. crassirostris''
*[[White-necked Raven]] ''C. albicollis''

In addition to the prehistoric forms listed above, some extinct [[chronospecies|chronosubspecies]] have been described. These are featured under the respective species accounts.

==Crows and Humans==
Certain species have been considered pests; the [[Common Raven]], [[Australian Raven]] and [[Carrion Crow]] have all been known to kill weak lambs as well as eating freshly dead corpses probably killed by other means. [[Rook (bird)|Rooks]] have been blamed for eating grain in the UK and [[Brown-necked Raven]] for raiding date crops in desert countries.<ref name = "CotW83"> {{cite book|author=Goodwin D.|year=1983|title=Crows of the World |publisher=Queensland University Press, St Lucia, Qld|isbn=0-7022-1015-3}}</ref>

In Auburn NY (USA), 25,000 to 50,000 American Crows (C. brachyrhynchos) have taken to roosting in the small city's large trees during winter since around 1993<ref>http://www.cnylinks.com/crows/</ref>. In 2003, a controversial, organized crow hunt proved ineffective at reducing their numbers and the problem (concerns for public health and the sheer noise of so many crows) continues.<ref>http://www.auburnpub.com/articles/2003/02/03/opinion/our_view/ourview01.txt</ref>

At a [[TED (conference)|Technology Entertainment Design conference]] in March 2008, [[Joshua Klein]] presented the potential use of a [[vending machine]] for crows. He suggested the crows could be trained to pick up [[trash]] and the vending machine would be designed to give a reward in exchange for the trash.<ref>TED [http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/joshua_klein_on_the_intelligence_of_crows.html Joshua Klein: The amazing intelligence of crows] [[TED (conference)|TED conference]] in March 2008, received 9 July 2008</ref>

===Hunting===
In the United States it is legal to hunt crows{{Fact|date=July 2008}}<!-- Does this apply to all Corvus species? If not, this whole section should go in the relevant species. --> in all states usually from around August to the end of March and anytime if they are causing a nuisance or health hazard. There is no bag limit when taken during the "crow hunting season." According to the US ''Code of Federal Regulations,'' crows may be taken without a permit in certain circumstances. [[United States Fish and Wildlife Service|USFWS]] 50 [[Code of Federal Regulations|CFR]] 21.43 (Depredation order for blackbirds, cowbirds, grackles, crows and magpies) states that a Federal permit is not required to control these birds "when found committing or about to commit depredations upon ornamental or shade trees, agricultural crops, livestock, or wildlife, or when concentrated in such numbers and manner as to constitute a health hazard or other nuisance," provided
<li>that none of the birds killed or their parts are sold or offered for sale,</li>
<li>that anyone exercising the privileges granted by this section shall permit any Federal or State game agent free and unrestricted access over the premises where the operations have been or are conducted and will provide them with whatever information required by the officer, and</li>
<li>that nothing in the section authorizes the killing of such birds contrary to any State laws and that the person needs to possess whatever permit as may be required by the State.</li>

In the UK, the crow is considered a pest and under certain conditions can be shot under a number of general licenses issued by [[DEFRA]].

==Evolution==
{{incoherent|section}}
{{further|[[Corvidae]]}}
They appear to have [[evolve]]d in central [[Asia]] and radiated out into [[North America]], [[Africa]], [[Europe]], and [[Australia]].

The latest evidence<ref>http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0401892101v1</ref> in the crow's evolution indicates descent from the Australasian family Corvidae. However, the branch that would produce the modern groups such as [[jays]], [[magpies]] and large predominantly black ''Corvus'' had left [[Australasia]] and were concentrated in [[Asia]] by the time the Corvus evolved. ''Corvus'' has since re-entered Australia (relatively recently) and produced five species with one recognized sub-species.

==Behavior==
===Calls===
<div style="float:right">{{Listen|filename=Corvus brachyrhynchos call.ogg|title=Corvus brachyrhynchos call|description=Call of Corvus brachyrhynchos ([[American Crow]])|format=[[Ogg/FLAC]]}}</div>
Crows make a wide variety of calls or vocalizations. Whether the crows' system of communication constitutes a [[language]] is a topic of debate and study. Crows have also been observed to respond to calls of other species; this behavior is presumably learned because it varies regionally. Crows' vocalizations are complex and poorly understood. Some of the many vocalizations that crows make are a "caw", usually echoed back and forth between birds, a series of "caws" in discrete units, counting out numbers, a long caw followed by a series of short caws (usually made when a bird takes off from a perch), an echo-like "eh-aw" sound, and more. These vocalizations vary by species, and within each species vary regionally. In many species, the pattern and number of the numerical vocalizations have been observed to change in response to events in the surroundings (i.e. arrival or departure of crows). Crows can hear sound frequencies lower than those that humans can hear, which complicates the study of their vocalizations.

Loud, throaty "caw-aw-ah"'s are usually used to indicate hunger or to mark territory. When defending a nest site or food, crows will usually enlarge their crest feathers and hunch their shoulders to increase their size.
Softer, gurgling sounds have also been observed as a sort of beckoning call, or a call of affection. These noises are emitted from within the throat of the bird, much like a cat's purring.

===Intelligence===
[[Image:CrowWastebag.jpg|thumb|250px|right|[[Hooded Crow]] searching food from punctured garbage bag]]
As a group, the crows show remarkable examples of intelligence, and [[Aesop]]'s fable of [[The Crow and the Pitcher]] shows that humans have long viewed the crow as an intelligent animal. Crows and ravens often score very highly on intelligence tests. Certain [[species]] top the [[avian IQ]] scale<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4286965.stm</ref>. Wild hooded crows in Israel have learned to use bread crumbs for bait-fishing<ref>http://www.orenhasson.com/EN/bait-fishing.htm</ref>. Crows will engage in a kind of mid-air [[jousting]], or air-"[[game of chicken|chicken]]" to establish pecking order.

One species, the [[New Caledonian Crow]], has also been intensively studied recently because of its ability to manufacture and use its own [[tool]]s in the day-to-day search for food, including dropping seeds into a heavy trafficked street and waiting for a car to crush them open.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Most_Extreme#Season_1</ref> On [[October 5]], [[2007]], researchers from the [[University of Oxford]], [[England]] presented data acquired by mounting tiny video cameras on the tails of New Caledonian Crows. It turned out that they use a larger variety of tools than previously known, plucking, smoothing and bending twigs and grass stems to procure a variety of foodstuffs.<ref>[http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/10/05/crows_ani.html?category=animals&guid=20071005130000&dcitc=w19-502-ak-0000 Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Crows in [[Queensland]], [[Australia]] have learned how to eat the toxic [[cane toad]] by flipping the cane toad on its back and violently stabbing the throat where the skin is thinner, allowing the crow to access the non-toxic innards; their long beaks ensure that all of the innards can be removed.<ref>http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/15/2033759.htm</ref><ref>http://www.ozanimals.com/Frog/Cane-Toad/Bufo/marinus.html</ref>

===Color and society===
====Extra-specific uses of color in crow societies====
Many crow species are all black. Most of their natural enemies, the [[bird of prey|raptor]]s or "[[falconiformes]]", soar high above the trees, and hunt primarily on bright, sunny days when contrast between light and shadow is greatest.{{Fact|date=March 2008}} Crows usually hunt in groups of other crows, called murders. Crows take advantage of this by maneuvering themselves through the dappled shades of the trees, where their black color renders them effectively invisible to their enemies above{{Fact|date=March 2008}}, in order to set up complex ambush attacks{{Fact|date=March 2008}}. It is perhaps here where we find the greatest difference between ravens and crows&mdash;[[raven]]s tend to soar high in the air as raptors do. Fledglings are much duller than adults in appearance.

While hawks tend to be the primary daytime predators of crows, their most deadly predators, in many areas, are the owls that hunt by night{{Fact|date=March 2008}}. Crows also will often mob owls much more fiercely when they find them in daylight than the hawks and other raptors{{Fact|date=March 2008}}. Frequently crows appear to "play" with hawks, taking turns "[[counting coup]]" while escorting the raptor out of their territory. Their attacks on owls, on the other hand, possess a definite serious quality.{{Fact|date=March 2008}}

====Intra-specific uses of color in crow societies====
Even in species characterized by being all black, one will still occasionally find variations, most of which appear to result from varying degrees of [[albinism]], such as:

* an otherwise all-black crow stunningly contrasted by a full set of brilliant, pure-white primary feathers.
* complete covering in varying shades of grey (generally tending toward the darker side).
* blue or red, rather than swarthy eyes (blue being more common than red).
* Some combination of the above

The treatment of these rare individuals may vary from group to group, even within the same species. For example, one such individual may receive special treatment, attention, or care from the others in its group{{Fact|date=March 2008}}, while another group of the same species might exile such individuals, forcing them to fend for themselves.{{Fact|date=March 2008}} The reason for such behaviors, and why these behaviors vary as they do, is unknown.

== Tradition, mythology and folklore ==
{{Mergeto|cultural depictions of ravens|date=February 2008}}
:''See also [[Raven in mythology]] and [[Cultural depictions of ravens]].''

[[Image:The-Twa-Corbies.jpg|right|200px|thumb|''The Twa Corbies'' by [[Arthur Rackham]]]]
[[Image:Corbeau branche Kyo.jpg|thumb|right|110px|''Crow on a branch'', Maruyama Kyo (1733–1795)]]
Crows, and especially [[raven]]s, often feature in [[Europe]]an [[legend]]s or [[mythology]] as [[Portent (divination)|portent]]s or harbingers of doom or [[death]], because of their dark plumage, unnerving calls, and tendency to eat [[carrion]]. They are commonly thought to circle above scenes of death such as [[battle]]s. The [[Child ballad]] ''[[The Three Ravens]]'' depicts three ravens discussing whether they can eat a dead knight, but finds that his hawk, his hound, and his true love prevent them; in the parody version ''The Twa Corbies'', these guards have already forgotten the dead man, and the ravens can eat their fill. Their depiction of evil has also led to some exaggeration of their appetite. In modern films such as [[Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest]], [[Damien: Omen II]] and [[Exorcist: The Beginning]], crows are shown tearing out people's eyes while they are still alive. Crows have never been known for this behavior due to their high preference for carrion.

In the ''[[Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the [[Chaldean mythology|Chaldean myth]], the character [[Utnapishtim]] releases a [[dove]] and a raven to find land, however, the dove merely circles and returns. Only then does Utnapishtim send forth the raven, who does not return. Utnapishtim extrapolates from this that the raven has found land, which is why it hasn't returned. This would seem to indicate some acknowledgement of crow intelligence, which may have been apparent even in ancient times, and to some might imply that the higher intelligence of crows, when compared to other birds, is striking enough that it was known even then.

In [[occult]] circles, distinctions are sometimes made between crows and ravens. In mythology and folklore as a whole, crows tend to be [[symbolism|symbolic]] more of the spiritual aspect of death, or the transition of the spirit into the [[afterlife]], whereas ravens tend more often to be associated with the negative (physical) aspect of death. However, few if any individual mythologies or folklores make such a distinction, and there are ample exceptions. Another reason for this distinction is that while crows are typically highly social animals, ravens don't seem to congregate in large numbers anywhere but:
#Near carrion where they meet seemingly by chance, or
#At [[cemetery|cemeteries]], where large numbers sometimes live together, even though carrion there is no more available (and probably less attainable) than any road or field. {{Fact|date=February 2007}}

Amongst Wiccans, crows are often thought to be highly [[psychic]]{{Fact|date=December 2007}} and are associated with the element of ''[[Aether (classical element)|ether]]'' or ''spirit'', rather than the element of ''air'' as with most other birds.{{Fact|date=December 2007}} This may in part be due to the long-standing occult tradition of associating black with "the abyss" of infinite knowledge (see [[akasha]]), or perhaps also to the more modern occult belief that wearing black aids in [[psychic ability]], as it absorbs more [[electromagnetism|electromagnetic energy]], since surfaces appear black by absorbing all frequencies in the [[visible spectrum]], reflecting no color.

''[[Compendium of Materia Medica]]'' states that crows are kind birds that feed their old and weakened parents; this is often cited as a fine example of [[filial piety]].

In [[Chinese mythology]], they believed that the world at one time had 10 suns that were caused by 10 crows. The effect was devastating to the crops and nature, so they sent in their greatest archer [[Houyi]] to shoot down 9 crows and spare only one. Also Chinese people believe that crows mean bad luck, probably due to the colour black (black is the color associated with bad luck in china, the color of mourning). Having a "crow beak" is a symbolic expression that one is being a [[jinx]].

===Gods and goddesses associated with crows and ravens===
<!-- Image with inadequate rationale removed: [[Image:Shani planet.jpg|thumb|Shani seated on a crow.]] -->
A very incomplete list includes the eponymous [[Pacific Northwest]] [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native]] figures ''[[Raven (mythology)|Raven]]'' and ''Crow'', the ravens ''[[Hugin and Munin]]'', who accompany the [[Norse mythology|Norse]] god [[Odin]], the [[Celtic mythology|Celtic]] goddesses the ''[[Mórrígan]]'' and/or the ''[[Badb]]'' (sometimes considered separate from Mórrígan), and ''[[Shani]]'', a [[Hindu]] god who travels astride a crow.
In [[Buddhism]], the Dharmapala (protector of the Dharma) [[Mahakala]] is represented by a crow in one of his physical/earthly forms. [[Avalokiteśvara]]/[[Chenrezig]], who is reincarnated on Earth as the [[Dalai Lama]], is often closely associated with the crow because it is said that when the first Dalai Lama was born, robbers attacked the family home. The parents fled and were unable to get to the infant Lama in time. When they returned the next morning expecting the worst, they found their home untouched, and a pair of crows were caring for the Dalai Lama. It is believed that crows heralded the birth of the First, Seventh, Eighth, Twelfth and Fourteenth Lamas, the latter being the current Dalai Lama, [[Tenzin Gyatso]].
Crows are mentioned often in [[Buddhism]], especially Tibetan disciplines.
According to Ovid's Metamorphoses, in classical mythology, when the crow told the god [[Apollo]] that his lover [[Coronis]] was cheating on him with a mortal, he became very angry, and part of that anger was directed at the crow, whose feathers he turned from white to black.
Myths in India: In [[Hinduism]], it is believed that people who died will take food and offerings through a variety of crows called "Bali kākka". Every year people whose parents or relatives died will offer food to crows as well as cows on the [[Shradha]] day. A battle between crows and owls is said to have inspired the final bloody night of the [[Mahabharatha]] war.

== Virus ==
The American crow is very susceptible to the [[West Nile virus]], a disease just recently introduced in North America. American crows usually die within one week of acquiring the disease with only very few surviving exposure. Crows are so affected by the disease that their deaths are now serving as an indicator of the West Nile Virus’ activity in an area.


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Corvidae]]
* [[Jackdaw]]
* [[Raven]]
*[[Corvus (heraldry)|Corvus in heraldry]]
*[[Scarecrow]]s
* [[rook (bird)|Rook]]
*[[To eat boiled crow]]
*[[Ischys]] for the Greek myth of why the crow's feathers are black.
*[[Ted Hughes]]' collection of poems ''[[Crow (poetry)|Crow]]''
*[[Azure Jay|Blue crows]]

==References==<!-- Condor105:139 -->
{{Reflist}}
{{refbegin}}
* '''Gill''', B. J. (2003): Osteometry and '''1''': 43-58. {{DOI|10.1017/S1477201903001019}} (HTML abstract)
* '''Worthy''', Trevor H. & '''Holdaway''', Richard N. (2002): ''The lost world of the Moa: Prehistoric Life of New Zealand''. Indiana University Press, Bloomington. ISBN 0-253-34034-9.
{{refend}}


==External links==
==Further reading==
* {{cite book|author=Franklin Coombs|title=The Crows: A Study of the Corvids of Europe|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7Zs_AAAAYAAJ|year=1978|publisher=Batsford|isbn=9780713413274}}
{{commonscat|Corvus}}
*[http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/crowfaq.htm Frequently Asked Questions About Crows]
*[http://www.birdhouses101.com/crow.asp Crow (BirdHouses101.com)]
*[http://www.crows.net/ crows.net: The Language & Culture of Crows]
*[http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Publications/ZooGoer/2005/6/Books_naturally_ND_05.cfm In the Company of Crows and Ravens], by John M. Marzluff and Tony Angell
*[http://www.clcookphoto.com/crows.htm Crow photographs and comments]
*[http://www.sciencemag.org/feature/data/crow/ Video of crow making and using tools]
*[http://users.ox.ac.uk/~kgroup/tools/tools_main.shtml More info on tool use by crows, with references]
*[http://ibc.lynxeds.com/family/crows-jays-magpies-corvidae Crow videos] on the Internet Bird Collection
*[http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/261 TED talk - The amazing intelligence of crows by Joshua Klein]


{{Animal common name}}
[[Category:Corvus|*]]
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Talking birds]]
[[Category:Scavengers]]


[[af:Kraai]]
[[Category:Crows| ]]
[[Category:Bird common names]]
[[ar:غراب]]
[[an:Corvus]]
[[gn:Yryvu]]
[[bn:কাক]]
[[ca:Corvus (gènere)]]
[[cs:Corvus]]
[[za:Roegga]]
[[cy:Brân]]
[[pdc:Grabb]]
[[de:Raben und Krähen]]
[[nv:Gáagii]]
[[es:Corvus]]
[[eo:Korvo]]
[[fa:کلاغ]]
[[fr:Corvus]]
[[hak:Vû-â]]
[[ko:까마귀속]]
[[hi:कौआ]]
[[hr:Gavrani]]
[[hu:Varjú]]
[[io:Korvo]]
[[id:Gagak]]
[[it:Corvus]]
[[he:עורב]]
[[sw:Kunguru]]
[[la:Corvus]]
[[lt:Varnos]]
[[li:Krejje]]
[[ml:കാക്ക]]
[[ms:Burung Gagak]]
[[nl:Corvus (geslacht)]]
[[ja:カラス]]
[[pt:Corvo]]
[[ro:Corvus]]
[[ru:Вороны]]
[[sah:Тураах]]
[[scn:Corvus]]
[[simple:Crow]]
[[fi:Varikset (suku)]]
[[sv:Kråkor]]
[[ta:காகம்]]
[[th:นกกา]]
[[tr:Karga]]
[[wa:Coirbå]]
[[zh:乌鸦]]

Latest revision as of 01:27, 8 November 2024

This article is about bird species with the word "crow" in their common name. For the genus containing crows, see Corvus. For the family containing crows, see Corvidae. For other uses, see Crow (disambiguation).
A carrion crow scavenging on a beach in Dorset, England

A crow (pronounced /ˈkroʊ/) is a bird of the genus Corvus, or more broadly, a synonym for all of Corvus. The word "crow" is used as part of the common name of many species. The related term "raven" is not linked scientifically to any certain trait but is rather a general grouping for larger-sized species of Corvus.

Species

[edit]
See also: List of Corvus species
  • Corvus albus – Pied crow (Central African coasts to southern Africa)
  • Corvus bennetti – Little crow (Australia)
  • Corvus brachyrhynchos – American crow (United States, southern Canada, northern Mexico)
  • Corvus capensis – Cape crow or Cape rook (Eastern and southern Africa)
  • Corvus cornix – Hooded crow (Northern and Eastern Europe and Northern Africa and Middle East)
  • Corvus corone – Carrion crow (Europe and eastern Asia)
  • Corvus culminatus – Indian jungle crow (South Asia)
  • Corvus edithae – Somali crow or dwarf raven (Eastern Africa)
  • Corvus enca – Slender-billed crow (Malaysia, Borneo, Indonesia)
  • Corvus florensis – Flores crow (Flores Island)
  • Corvus fuscicapillus – Brown-headed crow (New Guinea)
  • Corvus hawaiiensis (formerly C. tropicus) – Hawaiian crow (Hawaii)
  • Corvus imparatus – Tamaulipas crow (Gulf of Mexico coast)
  • Corvus insularis – Bismarck crow (Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea)
  • Corvus jamaicensis – Jamaican crow (Jamaica)
  • Corvus kubaryi – Mariana crow or aga (Guam, Rota)
  • Corvus leucognaphalus – White-necked crow (Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico)
  • Corvus levaillantii – Eastern jungle crow (India, Burma)
  • Corvus macrorhynchos – Large-billed crow (Eastern Asia)
  • Corvus meeki – Bougainville crow or Solomon Islands crow (Papua New Guinea, Northern Solomon Islands)
  • Corvus moneduloides – New Caledonian crow (New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands)
  • Corvus nasicus – Cuban crow (Cuba, Isla de la Juventud, Grand Caicos Island)
  • Corvus orru – Torresian crow or Australian crow (Australia, New Guinea and nearby islands)
  • Corvus ossifragus – Fish crow (Southeastern U.S. coast)
  • Corvus palmarum – Palm crow (Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic)
  • Corvus sinaloae – Sinaloa crow (Pacific coast from Sonora to Colima)
  • Corvus splendens – House crow or Indian house crow (South Asia, Middle East, east Africa)
  • Corvus torquatus – Collared crow (Eastern China, south into Vietnam)
  • Corvus tristis – Grey crow or Bare-faced crow (New Guinea and neighboring islands)
  • Corvus typicus – Piping crow or Celebes pied crow (Sulawesi, Muna, Butung)
  • Corvus unicolor – Banggai crow (Banggai Island)
  • Corvus validus – Long-billed crow (Northern Moluccas)
  • Corvus violaceus – Violet crow (Seram) – a split from slender-billed crow
  • Corvus woodfordi – White-billed crow or Solomon Islands crow (Solomon Islands)

See also

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
  • Franklin Coombs (1978). The Crows: A Study of the Corvids of Europe. Batsford. ISBN 9780713413274.
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