Photo: Frank Vassen from Brussels, Belgium / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Pied Crow
Corvus albus
Pied Crow (Corvus albus) — Crows, Jays & Magpies of Africa.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Pied Crow (Corvus albus) is a member of the Corvidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 524 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 albus
Where it lives
Mauritania to Sudan and Somalia, south to southern South Africa; Aldabra group (southwestern Seychelles), Comoros, Iles Glorieuses (northwest of Madagascar), Juan de Nova and Europa (west of central, southern Madagascar, Mozambique Channel) and Madagascar
Quick facts
- Weight
- 524 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Corvidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Pied Crow is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Pied Crow is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Pied Crow (Corvus albus) is a member of the Corvidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Mauritania to Sudan and Somalia, s to s South Africa; Aldabra group (sw Seychelles), Comoros, Iles Glorieuses (nw of Madagascar), Juan de Nova and Europa (w of c, s Madagascar, Mozambique Channel) and Madagascar.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 524 g, with a wing length of about 35.3 cm and a tail of around 17.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 19.5 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Pied Crow?
The Pied Crow is a large bird that weighs around 524 g.
Where does the Pied Crow live?
The Pied Crow is found across Africa with a range covering AF Mauritania to Sudan and Somalia, s to s South Africa; Aldabra group (sw Seychelles), Comoros, Iles Glorieuses (nw of Madagascar), Juan de Nova and Europa (w of c, s Madagascar, Mozambique Channel) and Madagascar, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Pied Crow belong to?
The Pied Crow (Corvus albus) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Pied Crow eat?
The Pied Crow is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Pied Crow migrate?
The Pied Crow is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Pied 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 Pied Crow make?
1 real field recording of the Pied 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 Pied Crow's range?
The Pied Crow has a mapped global range of about 19.5 million 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.