Corvus corone
An all-black, all-purpose survivor.
Size: 47 cm | Habitat: Park & Woodland-Edge Birds | Season: All year
Entirely glossy black with a heavy black bill, the carrion crow is a familiar and highly intelligent bird of parks, farmland, and towns alike, usually seen alone or in pairs.
All-black plumage, including bill and legs · heavy, slightly arched bill · solitary or paired, not usually in large flocks · harsh 'kaah' call
Carrion crows are resourceful omnivores, eating carrion, invertebrates, eggs, and scraps. They are among the most intelligent birds in the world, capable of using tools and solving puzzles.
Crows have been observed dropping nuts onto road crossings for cars to crack open, then collecting the pieces once the traffic light changes.
The Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) is entirely glossy black, including its heavy, slightly arched bill and legs, and is usually seen alone or in a pair rather than in the large flocks typical of rooks or jackdaws. Its harsh, repeated 'kaah' call carries clearly across parks, farmland, and city streets alike.
As a resourceful omnivore, the carrion crow eats carrion, invertebrates, eggs, and human food waste with equal ease, and is considered among the most intelligent birds in the world, capable of using and even manufacturing simple tools. In some urban areas, crows have been filmed placing nuts on pedestrian crossings for passing cars to crack open.
Understanding the carrion crow reveals how raw problem-solving intelligence, combined with dietary flexibility, allows a single species to succeed in almost every habitat Britain has to offer.
🟢 Conservation status: Green (UK Birds of Conservation Concern 5)
Green-listed, with a stable and widespread UK population. Carrion crows are sometimes persecuted due to their impact on game bird and songbird nests, but as with most corvids, their overall effect on wider bird populations is generally modest.