Science  People  Locations  Timeline
Index: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Home > Crow


Typical crows and allies

Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Passeriformes
Family:Corvidae
Genus: Corvus
Species
See text
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 finding of food.

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.

Crows appear to have evolved in central Asia and radiated out into North America (including MexicoThis article is about the country Mexico. For other meanings, see Mexico (disambiguation The United Mexican States or Mexico ( Spanish: Estados Unidos Mexicanos or Mexico regarding the use of the variant spelling Mejico see section The name below) is a co), AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. 30,244,050 km2 (11,677,240 mi2) including the islands, it covers 20. 3% of the total land area on Earth, and with over 800 million human inhabitants it accounts for ar, EuropeFor the band of the same name, see Europe (band . Europe is a continent forming the westermost part of the Eurasian supercontinent. Europe is bounded to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the Mediterranean Se, and AustraliaAustralia is the sixth-largest country in the world (geographically), the only one to occupy an entire continent, and the largest in the region of Australasia. Australia includes the island of Tasmania, which is an Australian State. Its neighbouring count.

They range in size from the relatively small pigeonPigeon redirects here. For alternate uses see Pigeon (disambiguation ''See River Dove for the river. Subfamily Columbinae Columba Nesoenas Streptopelia Macropygia Reinwardtoena Turacoena ''Turtur Oena Chalcophaps Henicophaps Phaps Ocyphaps Geophaps Petrop-sized jackdawThe Jackdaw Corvus monedula is one of the smallest species (34-39 cm in length) in the genus of crows and ravens. Most of the plumage is black or greyish black except for the cheeks, nape and neck which are light grey to greyish silver. The iris is greyiss ( EurasianThe term Eurasian which is not related to the land mass of Eurasia, refers to those of mixed European and Asiatic ancestry, or increasingly, mixed parentage. In Southeast Asia, most have European names, often British, Portuguese or Dutch, and are Christia and Daurian) to the Common Raven of the Palearctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia.


Australian species:

North American species:

African species:

North African & Asia Minor species:

European species:

Asian species:

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.


For more information regarding crows, see the individual species.

For more information regarding relatives of the crows, such as magpies and jays, see Corvidae.



Read more »

Non User