The black bird that is a member of the Corvidae family is called the Black Crow, often referred to as the Cape Crow or Corvus capensis. The Corvidae family include a diverse range of birds, including magpies, jays, jackdaws, ravens, and crows. The biggest passerine family in the world is said to consist of these bird species. Little Raven, Forest Raven, Slender-billed Crow, Eastern Jungle Crow, Little Raven, and Pied Raven are the closest cousins of the Black Crow.
German physician, adventurer, and biologist Martin Hinrich Carl Lichtenstein wrote the first description of this Black Crow in 1823.
This kind of bird is well-known for both their loud cries and their exceptional intellect and adaptability. They are found in two different parts of Africa. Despite not being extensively dispersed over the African continent, their number is steadily increasing. For this reason, this bird species was classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Passeriformes
- Family: Corvidae
- Genus: Corvus
- Species: C. capensis
The Black Crow’s physical attributes
The Black Crow gets its name from its black plumage. A mature Black Crow is 48–50 cm tall, which is an inch or two bigger than a Carrion Crow. Its feathers have a little tinge of purple in them. Its tail, wings, and black legs are said to be huge compared to its body. Its thin bill seems to be well adapted to its ability to dig for food in the earth and forage.
Its black head has a little purple and copper sheen. Compared to the feathers on its head, the neck feathers are comparatively longer and more fluffy.
The habitat and range of black crows
There are just two areas in Africa where one may see black crows. One of which stretches from the Cape at the continent’s southernmost point to southern Angola and finally to the east coast of Mozambique. They are also widespread in central east Africa, namely in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, and South Sudan. In the southern portion of the African continent, it is uncommon.
Black crows are found in many different types of habitats: semi-arid shrublands, open savannahs, grassland savannahs, woodland savannahs, moorlands, and agricultural regions with trees for nesting.
The way Black Crows act
Black Crows, like all other species of birds in the Corvidae family, are remarkably intelligent for their size. They are capable of creating tools, a talent that was previously believed to be exclusive to humans and a select few species. They are renowned for their communication and problem-solving abilities as well.
They make loud cries that are distinguished by a rapid “kah-kah-kah” and a sluggish “krrah.krrah.krrah.” Additionally, throaty laughs and liquid bubbling may be produced by Black Crows. Studies have also shown that this kind of bird mimics sounds with its voice.
Black Crows never get married. The female black crow is in charge of creating a sizable nest for her brood during the mating season. Its male mate carries wood and twigs to the nesting location, which it assembles. Typically, the nest is built on trees, bushes, telephone poles, and electrical pylons. It is thought that their propensity of constructing nests on transmission poles helped to disperse breeding crows, kestrels, and falcons into areas devoid of trees and close to populated areas.
Three to four eggs will be laid by a female black crow. The incubation period for these eggs is 18 to 19 days. The chicks will be well-cared for by their parents until they fledge, which typically occurs 30 to 40 days after hatching.
The Black Crow’s Diet
Typically, a black crow forages and searches the earth for invertebrates. Although they usually hunt alone, black crows often hunt in pairs or small flocks.
The Black Crow is an omnivorous bird. They consume a wide variety of foods, including fruits, grains, seeds, and bulbs. Insects, worms, mollusks, flying termites, lizards, frogs, domestic chickens, tortoises, and even other birds are among the creatures they consume. Black Crows are often held responsible for filthy, toppled garbage cans since they also feed on dead animals and trash. But in actuality, raccoons and stray dogs are often the ones that cause them.