Photo: terathopius / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Brown-headed Crow
Corvus fuscicapillus
Brown-headed Crow (Corvus fuscicapillus) — Crows, Jays & Magpies of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Brown-headed Crow (Corvus fuscicapillus) is a member of the Corvidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 635 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Corvidae Crows, Jays
- Genus Corvus
- Species fuscicapillus
Where it lives
Waigeo and Gam (Raja Ampat Is., northwest of New Guinea), western New Guinea and Aru Is. (southwest of New Guinea)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 635 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Corvidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Brown-headed Crow is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Brown-headed Crow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Brown-headed Crow (Corvus fuscicapillus) belongs to the Corvidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Waigeo and Gam (Raja Ampat Is., nw of New Guinea), w New Guinea and Aru Is. (sw of New Guinea).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 635 g, with a wing length of about 33.6 cm and a tail of around 19.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 18,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Brown-headed Crow?
The Brown-headed Crow is a large bird that weighs around 635 g.
Where does the Brown-headed Crow live?
The Brown-headed Crow is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Waigeo and Gam (Raja Ampat Is., nw of New Guinea), w New Guinea and Aru Is. (sw of New Guinea), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Brown-headed Crow belong to?
The Brown-headed Crow (Corvus fuscicapillus) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Brown-headed Crow eat?
The Brown-headed Crow is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Brown-headed Crow migrate?
The Brown-headed Crow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Brown-headed Crow endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Brown-headed Crow make?
1 real field recording of the Brown-headed Crow — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Brown-headed Crow's range?
The Brown-headed Crow has a mapped global range of about 18,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Feeders for Jays & Larger Garden Birds
How to choose a feeder for jays and other big, bold garden birds — the styles that suit peanuts and larger food, and how to keep them from crowding your small-bird feeders. A decision framework with the species in the Birbs encyclopedia.