NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Crow (bird)

The true crows are in the genus Corvus; they are large Passerine birds. As a group they show remarkable examples of intelligence; it would not be at all an exaggeration to characterize crows as being to birds what higher primates (including humans) are to mammals. Crows have been noted to have some type of funeral, and ravens often score very highly on intelligence tests. Crows in the northwestern US (a blend of Corvus brachyrhynchos and Corvus caurinus) show modest linguistic capabilities and the ability to relay information over great distances, live in complex, hierarchic societies involving hundreds of individuals with various "occupations", and have an intense rivalry with the area's less socially-advanced ravens. One species, the New Caledonian Crow, has recently been intensively studied because of its ability to manufacture and use its own tools in the day-to-day search for food. In biology, a genus (plural genera) is a grouping in the classification of living organisms having one or more related and morphologically similar species. ... Families Many, see text A passerine is a bird of the giant order Passeriformes. ... Orders Many - see section below. ... Binomial name Homo sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies Homo sapiens idaltu (extinct) Homo sapiens sapiens Human beings define themselves in biological, social, and spiritual terms. ... Underwater funeral in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea A funeral is a ceremony marking a persons death. ... Binomial name Corvus moneduloides Lesson, 1830 The New Caledonian Crow (Corvus moneduloides) is a moderately sized crow (40 cm in length) similar in size to the House Crow but less slender looking. ... Modern hammer A tool is, among other things, a device that provides a mechanical or mental advantage in accomplishing a task. ...

All temperate continents (except, surprisingly, South America) and several offshore and oceanic islands (including Hawaii) have representatives of the 40 or so members of this genus. Dymaxion map by Buckminster Fuller shows land mass with minimal distortion as only one continuous continent A continent (Latin continere, to hold together) is a large continuous land mass. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... State nickname: The Aloha State Other U.S. States Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Governor Linda Lingle (R) Official languages Hawaiian and English Area 28,337 kmÂ² (43rd) - Land 16,649 kmÂ² - Water 11,672 kmÂ² (41. ...

Crows appear to have evolved in central Asia and radiated out into North America (including Mexico), Africa, Europe, and Australia. World map showing location of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of Eurasia, defined by subtracting Europe from Eurasia. ... It has been suggested that Northern America be merged into this article or section. ... Africa is the worlds second-largest continent and second most populous. ... World map showing location of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ...

They range in size from the relatively small pigeon-sized jackdaws (Eurasian and Daurian) to the Common Raven of the Palearctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia. Genera Subfamily Columbinae Columba Nesoenas Streptopelia Macropygia Reinwardtoena Turacoena Turtur Oena Chalcophaps Henicophaps Phaps Ocyphaps Geophaps Petrophassa Geopelia Leucosarcia Zenaida Ectopistes (extinct) Columbina Claravis Metropelia Scardafella Uropelia Leptotila Geotrygon Starnoenas Caloenas Gallicolumba Trugon Microgoura (extinct?) Subfamily Otidiphabinae Otidiphaps Subfamily Gourinae Goura Subfamily Didunculinae Didunculus Subfamily Treroninae Phapitreron Treron Ptilinopus Drepanoptila... Binomial name Corvus monedula (Linnaeus, 1758) The Jackdaw (Corvus monedula) is one of the smallest species (34-39 cm in length) in the genus of crows and ravens. ... The term Eurasian refers to the cultural ties and linkages between those in a wider view of the Eurasian continent, centering on the Silk Road, and Central Asia. ... Dauria is a region of Russia. ... This article is about the species Corvus corax. ... The Palearctic or Palaearctic is one of the eight ecozones dividing the Earth surface (see map). ... Binomial name Corvus crassirostris Rüppell, 1836 The Thick-billed Raven (Corvus crassirostris) shares with the Common Raven the accolade of the largest in the family (60-64 cm in length) and indeed the largest of the bird order Passeriformes (perching birds). ...

A group of crows is called a Murder, and a group of ravens is called an Unkindness.

Color and society

Extra-specific uses of color in crow societies

Many crow species are all black. Most of their natural enemies, the raptors or "falconiformes", soar high above the trees, and hunt primarily on bright, sunny days when contrast between light and shadow is greatest. 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, in order to set up complex ambush attacks. Thus, their black "color" is of great military importance to their societies. (It is perhaps here where we find the greatest difference between ravens and other crows; ravens tend to soar high in the air as raptors do, and like raptors, are usually the target of ambushes by other crows. Non-ravenous crows do not appear to perceive ravens as their own kind, but instead treat them as raptors. One could speculate that this is because ravens pair-bond and live in family groups no larger than three, just like raptors, whereas other crows tend to live in larger and more sophisticated communities, and therefore see the behavior of ravens as being more like "the enemy" than themselves; but this would be pure conjecture, as the actual reason is still unknown.) Orders Accipitriformes Cathartidae Pandionidae Accipitridae Sagittariidae Falconiformes Falconidae A bird of prey or raptor is a bird that hunts its food, especially one that preys on mammals or other birds. ... Families Accipitridae Pandionidae Falconidae Sagittariidae Cathartidae The order Falconiformes is a group of about 290 species of birds that include the diurnal birds of prey. ...

Intra-specific uses of color in crow societies

Even in species characterized by being all black, one will still occasionally find variations, such as:

The treatment of these rare individuals may vary from group to group, even within the same species. For example, one such individual may recieve special treatment, attention, or care from the others in its group, while another group of the same species might exile such individuals, forcing them to fend for themselves. The reason for such behaviors, and why these behaviors vary as they do, has yet to be studied. Any conclusion hence drawn must therefore be speculative.

Mythology and folklore

Crows, and especially ravens, often feature in legends or mythology as portents or harbingers of doom or death, because of their dark plumage, unnerving calls, and tendency to eat carrion, that causes them to circle above scenes of death such as battles. Species See text Many large black birds of the genus Corvus are called ravens. ... A legend (Latin, legenda, things to be read) is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude. ... Mythology is the study of myths: stories of a particular culture that it believes to be true and that feature a specific religious or belief system. ... Omens or portents are signs encountered fortuitously that are believed to foretell the future. ... In Western culture, skeletons are often the symbol of death. ... Carrion is the carcass of a dead animal that becomes food for other scavenging animals such as hyenas or Tasmanian Devils. ... The Battle of Waterloo by William Sadler. ...

In the original version of the Noah's Ark story found in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the character Utnapishtim releases a dove and a raven to find land, similar to what Noah does in the version found in the book of Genesis. However, in the original version, the dove merely circles and returns. Only then does he 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. Michelangelo Buonarroti In the Hebrew Bibles account (Gen. ... The Deluge tablet of the Gilgamesh epic in Akkadian The Epic of Gilgamesh is from Babylonia, dating from long after the time that king Gilgamesh was supposed to have ruled. ... In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim [same as the Sumerian character Ziusudra (zÄ“OO-sOOdru)] is the wise king of the Sumerian city state of Shurrupak who, along with his wife, survived a great flood sent by Enlil to drown every living thing on Earth. ... Genesis (Greek: Î“ÎÎ½ÎµÏƒÎ¹Ï‚, having the meanings of birth, creation, cause, beginning, source and origin) is the first book of the Torah (five books of Moses) and hence the first book of the Tanakh, part of the Hebrew Bible; it is also the first book of the Christian Old Testament. ...

In occult circles, distinctions are sometimes made between crows and ravens. In mythology and folklore as a whole, crows tend to be 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 non-ravenous crows are typically highly social animals, ravens don't seem to congregate in large numbers anywhere but a) near carrion where they meet seemingly by chance, or b) at cemeteries, where large numbers sometimes live together, even though carrion there is no more available (and probably less attainable) than any road or field.

In Neopagan circles, crows are often thought to be highly psychic and are associated with the element of spirit or ether, rather than the element of air as with most other birds. This may in part be due to the long-standing occult tradition of associating the color black with "the abyss" of infinite knowledge (see akasha), or perhaps also to the more modern occult belief that wearing the "color" black aids in psychic ability, as it absorbs more electromagnetic energy, since surfaces appear black by absorbing all frequencies in the visible spectrum, reflecting no color. Neopaganism (sometimes Neo-Paganism, meaning New Paganism) is a heterogeneous group of religions which attempt to revive ancient, mainly European pre-Christian religions. ... Parapsychology is the study of the evidence involving phenomena where a person seems to affect or gain information about something through a means not currently explainable within the framework of mainstream, conventional science. ... Akasha is the Sanskrit word meaning space or sky. ... The optical spectrum (light or visible spectrum) is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye. ...

Species

Australian species: Image File history File links Download high resolution version (624x1924, 277 KB) Please see the file description page for further information. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (624x1924, 277 KB) Please see the file description page for further information. ...

North American species: Binomial name Corvus coronoides Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 The Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides) is the largest member of the genus Corvus in Australia. ... Binomial name Corvus tasmanicus Mathews, 1912 The Forest Raven (Corvus tasmanicus) is a large Australian species (50-52 cm in length) that inhabits the island state of Tasmania. ... Binomial name Corvus tasmanicus Mathews, 1912 The Forest Raven (Corvus tasmanicus) is a large Australian species (50-52 cm in length) that inhabits the island state of Tasmania. ... See also Little Crow (disambiguation) Binomial name Corvus bennetti North, 1901 The Little Crow (Corvus bennetti) is an Australian species of crow, very similar to the Torresian Crow in having white bases to the neck and head feathers (shown when ruffled in strong wind) but slightly smaller (42-48 cm... Binomial name Corvus mellori Mathews, 1912 The Little Raven (Corvus mellori) was only separated in 1967 from the Australian Raven () as a distinct species. ... Binomial name Corvus orru Bonaparte, 1850 Distribution map The Torresian Crow (Corvus orru), also occasionally called the Australian Crow, is about the same size (50-55 cm in length) as the Eurasian Carrion Crow but with a more robust bill and slightly longer legs. ...

African species: Binomial name Corvus brachyrhynchos Brehm, 1822 The American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) is slightly smaller than the European Carrion Crow in overall size (39-49 cm in length) and also has a proportionately smaller bill. ... Binomial name Corvus cryptoleucus Couch, 1854 The Chihuahuan Raven (Corvus cryptoleucus), formerly known as the American White-necked Raven, has the proportions of a Common Raven with a heavy bill, but is about the same size as a Carrion Crow, or slightly larger (44-51 cm in length) than the... This article is about the species Corvus corax. ... Binomial name Corvus ossifragus Wilson, 1812 The Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus) is superficially very similar to the American Crow but is smaller (36-41 cm in length) and has a more silky smooth plumage by comparison. ... Binomial name Corvus caurinus Baird, 1858 The Northwestern Crow (Corvus caurinus) is very similar to the more western forms of the American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) but it is slightly smaller (33-41 cm in length) and has proportinately smaller feet with a slightly more slender bill. ... Binomial name Corvus imparatus Peters, 1929 The Tamaulipas Crow (Corvus imparatus) is a relatively small (34-38 cm in length) and sleek looking crow with very glossy plumage which is very soft and silky looking. ... Binomial name Corvus sinaloae Davis, 1958 The Sinaloan Crow or Sinaloa Crow (Corvus sinaloae) is both physically identical to and the same length (34-38 cm) as the Tamaulipas Crow (Corvus imparatus) to which it is very closely related except that the tail is very slightly longer. ...

North African & Asia Minor species: Binomial name Corvus capensis Lichtenstein, 1823 The Cape Crow or Black Crow (Corvus capensis) is slightly larger (48-50 cm in length) than the Carrion Crow and is completely black with a slight gloss of purple in the feathers. ... Binomial name Corvus rhipidurus The Fan-tailed Raven (Corvus rhipidurus) is like the Chihuahuan Raven one of the smaller species (47 cm in length), in fact it is about the same size as a Carrion Crow but with a much thicker bill, shorter tail and much larger wings. ... Binomial name Corvus albus Statius Muller, 1776 The Pied Crow (Corvus albus) is approximately the size of the European Carrion Crow or a little larger (46-50 cm in length) but has a proportionately larger bill and slightly longer tail, wings and longer legs. ... Binomial name Corvus edithae The Somali Crow or Dwarf Raven, Corvus edithae is approximately the size (44-46 cm in length) of the Carrion Crow, Corvus corone but with longer bill and somewhat more brownish cast to the feathers especially when worn. ... Binomial name Corvus edithae The Somali Crow or Dwarf Raven, Corvus edithae is approximately the size (44-46 cm in length) of the Carrion Crow, Corvus corone but with longer bill and somewhat more brownish cast to the feathers especially when worn. ... Binomial name Corvus crassirostris Rüppell, 1836 The Thick-billed Raven (Corvus crassirostris) shares with the Common Raven the accolade of the largest in the family (60-64 cm in length) and indeed the largest of the bird order Passeriformes (perching birds). ... Binomial name Corvus albicollis Latham, 1790 The White-necked Raven, Corvus albicollis, is somewhat smaller (50-54 cm in length) than the Common Raven or indeed its nearest relative, the Thick-billed Raven . ...

European species: Binomial name Corvus ruficollis Lesson, 1830 The Brown-necked Raven (Corvus ruficollis) is a larger bird (52-56 cm in length) than the Carrion Crow though not as large as the Common Raven. ... Binomial name Corvus cornix Linnaeus, 1758 The Hooded Crow Corvus cornix, (48-52 cm in length) is so similar in structure and habits to the Carrion Crow that some authorities consider them to be merely geographical races of one species, however since 2002 the bird has been elevated to full... This article is about the species Corvus corax. ... Binomial name Corvus rhipidurus The Fan-tailed Raven (Corvus rhipidurus) is like the Chihuahuan Raven one of the smaller species (47 cm in length), in fact it is about the same size as a Carrion Crow but with a much thicker bill, shorter tail and much larger wings. ...

Asian species: Binomial name Corvus corone Linnaeus, 1758 The Carrion Crow, Corvus corone, can be distinguished from the Raven by its size (48–52 cm in length) and from the Hooded Crow by its black plumage, but there is frequent confusion between it and the Rook. ... This article is about the species Corvus corax. ... Binomial name Corvus cornix Linnaeus, 1758 The Hooded Crow Corvus cornix, (48-52 cm in length) is so similar in structure and habits to the Carrion Crow that some authorities consider them to be merely geographical races of one species, however since 2002 the bird has been elevated to full... Binomial name Corvus monedula (Linnaeus, 1758) The Jackdaw (Corvus monedula) is one of the smallest species (34-39 cm in length) in the genus of crows and ravens. ... Binomial name Corvus frugilegus Linnaeus, 1758 The Rook, Corvus frugilegus, is a member of the passerine order of birds and the crow family. ...

The islands between Southeast Asia and Australia have several species, as do the West Indies off the south east coast of the North American continent. A few Pacific islands (including Hawaii) have representative species also. Binomial name Corvus corone Linnaeus, 1758 The Carrion Crow, Corvus corone, can be distinguished from the Raven by its size (48–52 cm in length) and from the Hooded Crow by its black plumage, but there is frequent confusion between it and the Rook. ... Binomial name Corvus torquatus Lesson, 1830 The Collared Crow (Corvus torquatus) is about the same size or slightly larger (52-55 cm in length) than the Carrion Crow with proportionately slightly longer wings, tail and bill. ... Binomial name Corvus dauricus Pallas, 1776 The Daurian Jackdaw (Corvus dauricus) is a member of the crow family of birds. ... Binomial name Corvus splendens Vieillot, 1817 The House Crow (Corvus splendens) sits between the Jackdaw and the Carrion Crow in size (40 cm in length) but is quite slimmer proportionately than either. ... Binomial name Corvus macrorhynchos Johann Georg Wagler, 1827 The Jungle Crow is extremely variable in both its overall size (46-59 cm in length) and body proportions across the large geographical region that it covers. ... Binomial name Corvus frugilegus Linnaeus, 1758 The Rook, Corvus frugilegus, is a member of the passerine order of birds and the crow family. ... This article is about the species Corvus corax. ...

For more information regarding crows, see the individual species. Binomial name Corvus hawaiiensis Peale, 1848 The Hawaiian Crow, Corvus hawaiiensis, is a fascinating species about the size (48-50 cm in length) of the Carrion Crow but with more rounded wings and a much thicker bill. ... Binomial name Corvus moneduloides Lesson, 1830 The New Caledonian Crow (Corvus moneduloides) is a moderately sized crow (40 cm in length) similar in size to the House Crow but less slender looking. ... Binomial name Corvus nasicus Temminck, 1826 The Cuban Crow, Corvus nasicus, is one of four fascinating species of crow that occur on a few key islands in the West Indies. ... Binomial name Corvus jamaicensis The Jamaican Crow, Corvus jamaicensis is a comparatively small crow species (35-38cm in length). ... Binomial name Corvus palmarum Württemberg, 1835 The Palm Crow (Corvus palmarum) is a relatively small black bird in the crow family that occurs mostly on the large Caribbean island of Hispaniola, itself divided into the two countries of Dominican Republic and Haiti. ... Binomial name Corvus leucognaphalus Daudin,, 1800 The White-necked Crow, Corvus leucognaphalus, is the largest (42-46 cm in length) of the four West Indian Crow species. ... Binomial name Corvus woodfordi (Ogilvie-Grant, 1887) The White-billed Crow, Corvus woodfordi, is a short and stocky forest bird (40-41 cm in length) with a short squared off tail and a relatively large head with a very distinctive deep and curved pale ivory coloured bill with a darker... Binomial name Corvus tristis Lesson & Garnot, 1827 The Grey Crow (Corvus tristis), formerly known as the Bare-faced Crow, is about the same size (42-45 cm in length) as the Eurasian Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) but has somewhat different proportions and quite atypical feather pigmentation during the juvenile phase...

For more information regarding relatives of the crows, such as magpies and jays, see Corvidae. Genera Pica Urocissa Cyanopica Cissa The magpies are medium to large, often colorful and noisy passerine birds in the crow family, Corvidae. ... For the Latin alphabet letter, see J. Genera Aphelocoma Cyanocitta Cyanocorax Garrulus Gymnorhinus Perisoreus Jay is a common name for several species of medium sized, usually colorful and noisy passerine or perching birds in the family Corvidae, or crow family, closely allied to the magpies (the names jay and magpie... Genera Platylophus Gymnorhinus Cyanocitta Aphelocoma Cyanocorax Garrulus Cissa Perisoreus Urocissa Cyanopica Dendrocitta Crypsirina Pica Zavattariornis Podoces Nucifraga Pyrrhocorax Ptilostomus Corvus The crow family (Corvidae) has members that are above average in size for the bird order Passeriformes; in fact, it includes several that are among the largest. ...

Contents

Color and society GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Extra-specific uses of color in crow societies

Intra-specific uses of color in crow societies

Mythology and folklore

Species

See also

Color and society