The Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) is a widely distributed and recognizable bird species. Its distinctive two-tone plumage, featuring a light gray body contrasted with black sections, makes it easily identifiable across its expansive range. This adaptable bird is a familiar presence in both urban and rural landscapes throughout parts of Europe and Asia.
Identifying the Hooded Crow
The Hooded Crow displays an ashy-grey body contrasting with a black head, throat, wings, tail, and thigh feathers. Its plumage can appear streaky due to dark feather shafts. This bird measures around 48 to 52 centimeters (19 to 20 inches) in length, with a wingspan of about 105 centimeters (41 inches), and an average weight of 510 grams. It possesses a strong black beak and dark brown eyes.
While male and female Hooded Crows share similar coloration, males are generally slightly larger. The Hooded Crow is distinct from the entirely black Carrion Crow (Corvus corone), though they are closely related and can interbreed where their ranges overlap.
Where Hooded Crows Live
Hooded Crows inhabit a broad geographical area, extending across Northern, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe, and into parts of the Middle East. Their adaptability allows them to thrive in various environments, including urban settings, agricultural lands, coastal regions, moorland, woodland edges, estuaries, and mountainous terrain.
The species lives in close proximity to human settlements. While many populations are resident, some Hooded Crows in northern regions, such as Scandinavia and parts of Russia, exhibit partial migratory behavior. These birds may move to milder areas in Western Europe during winter, typically starting their journeys in late autumn.
What Hooded Crows Eat
Hooded Crows are omnivorous and highly opportunistic, consuming a diverse array of food items. Their diet includes carrion, insects, and worms, showcasing their role as scavengers. They also feed on plant matter such as seeds, fruits, and nuts.
Beyond natural sources, Hooded Crows prey on small mammals, the eggs of other birds, and smaller birds. They frequently scavenge for human refuse and food scraps, particularly in urban environments. These birds also exhibit caching behavior, hiding food like meat or nuts in locations such as rain gutters, flower pots, or under bushes for later consumption.
Hooded Crow Intelligence and Social Life
Hooded Crows are recognized for their advanced cognitive abilities, including problem-solving and tool use. They solve complex, multi-step puzzles to obtain food, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of their environment. They can drop hard-shelled items like nuts or molluscs onto firm surfaces to break them open. Hooded Crows can also form “mental templates,” allowing them to remember and reproduce the shape and size of objects not currently present.
These birds are social creatures, often observed alone, in pairs, or in larger flocks, particularly outside the breeding season. Hooded Crow pairs are generally monogamous, and family groups may include offspring from previous years who assist in raising younger siblings. They possess a complex range of vocalizations, from their characteristic harsh “kraa” call to softer sounds used for communication within their family units. Studies also suggest that crows can recognize and remember human faces, indicating a capacity for individual recognition.