Grey crow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grey crow |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Corvus
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| Species: |
tristis
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| Distribution map | |
The Grey Crow (Corvus tristis) is a fascinating bird. It used to be called the Bare-faced Crow. This crow is about the same size as the Eurasian Carrion Crow, measuring around 42 to 45 centimeters long. However, it looks a bit different and its young birds have very unusual feather colors for a crow.
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What Does the Grey Crow Look Like?
Adult Grey Crow Appearance
Adult Grey Crows are mostly black. Their tail feathers are quite long and get shorter towards the end. Their legs are fairly short. You might notice that some of their wing and tail feathers look randomly lighter, almost bleached.
A special feature of the Grey Crow is the skin around its eyes. It has a large area with no feathers, showing pinkish-white skin. Their eyes are a bluish-white color.
Grey Crow's Unique Beak
The Grey Crow's beak is also quite unique. Its color can change a lot! Some birds have a bluish upper part and a pinkish-white lower part. Others might have a beak that is entirely pinkish-white with a darker tip. Unlike many other crow species, the Grey Crow has very small bristles near its nose.
Juvenile Grey Crow Appearance
Young Grey Crows look very different from their parents. Their feathers are much lighter, often light brown or cream colored. Their wings, tail, and main flight feathers are usually blackish-brown and fawn. The head and belly of a young Grey Crow can even be almost white!
Where Do Grey Crows Live?
The Grey Crow lives all over the large island of New Guinea. You can also find them on smaller islands nearby. They prefer to live in forests, both untouched (primary) and regrowing (secondary) forests. They live in forests found in lowlands and on hills, up to about 1350 meters high.
What Do Grey Crows Eat?
Grey Crows find their food both on the ground and in trees. They eat a wide variety of things. Fruit seems to be a very important part of their diet. They also eat small animals like frogs and water insect larvae. They find these small creatures in shallow water on sandy or rocky riverbeds.
When Grey Crows search for food in trees, they usually stay in loose groups of 4 to 8 birds. They often make noisy sounds to keep in touch with each other.
What Does the Grey Crow Sound Like?
The Grey Crow's voice is often described as a weak 'ka' sound. They can also make a whining 'caw'. When they get excited, they add other rough-sounding notes to their calls.
Images for kids
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Distribution map of the Grey Crow
