Download House Crow - GB non-native species secretariat

www.nonnativespecies.org
Produced by Neal Gates, Max Wade, Vicky Ames and Kelly McKee of RPS
House Crow
Species Description
Scientific name: Corvus splendens
AKA: Indian House Crow, Brân-y-tai Indiaidd
(Welsh)
Native to: Indian subcontinent
Habitat: Generally confined to man-made habitats
and conurbations
A medium-sized, slender crow, with long legs, large bill and grey
neck and breast. Males and females have the same plumage.
To date, the species is unrecorded in the UK, though there is one
record from Ireland. However, a self-sustaining population exists
around the docks in Hoek van Holland, the Netherlands. The spread
of the house crow is ship-assisted (hitches a ride on passing ships)
world-wide and most new sightings are from ports or coastal regions.
A port is the most likely place for the species to arrive in the UK.
The house crow is considered a pest species in its naturalised range.
As a versatile species it feeds on discarded food, crops, small native
birds and their chicks and invertebrates. In its native range it has
been noted as an agricultural pest, destroying fruit, wheat, grapes
and maize crops. It also aggressively competes with native birds.
For details of legislation go to www.nonnativespecies.org/legislation.
Key ID Features
Large
bill
Black wings
and back
Black throat
and head
Body length
41 - 43 cm
Grey neck
and breast
Tall and slim
appearance
Long
legs
Field Signs
Distribution
The following field signs are shared by many species of the crow family
and cannot be used for the purpose of specific identification as house
crow.
The House crow is not yet found in the UK.
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•
•
House crow is likely to be confused with
a number of native crow species.
Call - Similar to carrion crow: ‘kwar kwar’.
Nest - Untidy mess of both natural and man-made items, positioned
in either trees or man-made structures. Always close to human
habitations.
Eggs - 3-5 in clutch, very variable in shape and colour with egg
laying generally from mid-April to late-May, with the breeding season
extending to July in its native range.
Bare patch
at base of
bill
Shorter legs and
shaggy looking
plumage
Similar Species
Body
length
44 - 46 cm
Carrion Crow
Smaller
bill
Completely
black plumage
Glossy
iridescent
plumage
Native resident in England,
Wales and parts of Scotland
(Corvus corone)
Body
length
45 - 47 cm
Stockier
looking than
house crow
Rook
Native resident in the UK
(Corvus frugilegus)
Jackdaw
Native resident in the UK
(Corvus monedula)
Considerably
smaller than
other species
Shorter
legs
Smaller
bill
Carrion Crow by Steve Wilde, Creative Commons BY_ND
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevewilde/3508405711/sizes/o/
Hooded Crow
Native resident in Scotland
(Corvus cornix)
Pale grey neck,
breast and belly.
Clearly
demarcated
Smaller
bill
Body
length
45 - 47 cm
Completely black
plumage but with
grey sheen to
back of head and
neck
Body
length
33 - 34 cm
References and further reading:
Lever, C (2005) “Naturalised Birds of the World”.
T & A D Poyser
Madge, S and Burn, H (1999) “Crows and Jays: A
Guide to the Crows, Jays and Magpies of the
World”. Christopher Helm, London
Shorter
legs
Mullarney, K, Svensson, L, Zetterstrom, D and
Grant, PJ (2001) “Bird Guide”. HarperCollins
Snow, DW and Perrins, CM (1998) “The Birds of
the Western Palearctic.“ Oxford University Press
Photos from: Danial Winchester, Steve Wilde, Sue Bryan