Pied Crow
Corvus albus
Pied crows have been observed carrying hard-shelled nuts or small tortoises into the air and dropping them onto rocks or roads to crack them open.
- Scientific name
- Corvus albus
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Corvidae › Corvus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- increasing
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Savanna, open woodlands, agricultural lands, coastal scrub, towns, and suburban areas.
- Diet
- Omnivorous, feeding on insects, small reptiles, seeds, fruit, carrion, eggs, and discarded human food.
- Range
- Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, Comoros
- Size
- 46–52 cm long; wingspan 85–98 cm; weight 400–650 g
- Lifespan
- 12–20 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Targeted poisoning by farmers who view them as agricultural pests, vehicle strikes, and electrocution on power lines.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to humans. They are bold scavengers that will approach picnic areas or settlements for food scraps. Maintain a respectful distance to avoid causing stress. If handling an injured bird, wear thick gloves to prevent bites from its strong beak, and wash hands thoroughly after contact.
The pied crow ( Corvus albus ) is a widely distributed African bird species in the crow genus.
Photo: Lip Kee, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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