New Caledonian Crow
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae Genus: Corvus Species: C. moneduloides
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. The bird is all black with a rich gloss to the feathers of purple, dark blue and some green in good light. The bill, feet and legs are all black too. The bill is of moderate size but is unusual in that the tip of the lower is angled up making it somewhat chisel-like in profile. Stamp of New Caledonia This image of a postage stamp may be copyrighted and/or have other restrictions on its reproduction imposed by the issuing authority. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Porifera (sponges) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria Placozoa Subregnum Bilateria  Acoelomorpha  Orthonectida  Rhombozoa  Myxozoa  Superphylum Deuterostomia     Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicates Ascideiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders Many - see section below. ... Families Many, see text A passerine is a bird of the giant order Passeriformes. ... 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. ... For other uses of the word Crow, please see Crow (disambiguation). ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is a standard convention used for naming species. ... René Primevère Lesson (March 20, 1794 - April 28, 1849) was a French surgeon and naturalist. ... 1830 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The term Crow or Apsaalooké refers to the Crow Nation, or the Crow Tribe of Indians, its people, and to the Crow language. ... 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. ...

Distribution map

The bird is endemic to the island of New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands in the Pacific, living in primary forest. upload own hand coloured distribution map File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... upload own hand coloured distribution map File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Loyalty Islands are an archipelago in the Pacific. ... For other meanings of Pacific, see Pacific (disambiguation). ...

It is one of a small group of animals now accepted in scientific study to be not only a tool-user, but a tool-maker. The New Caledonian Crow is also the only non-human species currently known to spontaneously make tools out of materials it does not encounter in the wild. It takes a very wide range of food items including many types of insects and other invertebrates (some caught in flight with some agility, including night-flying insects which it catches at dusk), eggs and nestlings, snails (which it drops from a height onto hard stones), and various nuts and seeds. Most interestingly, it is known for its manufacture of plant material into hooks or barbs for extracting grubs from inside logs and branches. It is one of the most remarkable and resourceful of creatures, showing great ingenuity in the search for food.

The nest is built high in a tree with usually only 2 eggs laid from September to November.

The voice is described as a soft waa-waa or wak-wak, sometimes a hoarse waaaaw.

External links

• From National Geographic: A a video of the New Caledonian Crow making a hook out of wire
• Very good images of two birds
• Great portrait shot of "Betty"
• Auckland University crow webpage - an introduction to our field-based research on crows' tool manufacture and use