Carrion crow

Scientific name: Corvus corone

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Entirely black plumage with a glossy sheen on head and body; heavy, slightly curved black bill; black legs and eyes. No sexual dimorphism in plumage; males average slightly larger than females.

Size and weight

Adults weigh 410–650 kg (males typically 520–650 g, females 410–560 g); body length 45–47 cm.

Habitat

Carrion crows occupy open and semi-open landscapes including farmland, moorland, woodland edges, parks, and urban areas. They thrive from sea level to mountain zones up to 2,000 m, requiring a mix of foraging ground and roosting trees.

Distribution

Resident across Europe from Britain and Scandinavia east to the Urals and Caucasus; absent from Ireland and northwestern France where replaced by hooded crow (C. cornix). Prefer open lowlands and cultivated areas.

Diet

Omnivorous opportunistic feeder consuming carrion, small mammals, birds, eggs, insects, berries, seeds, and human food waste; diet shifts seasonal with fruit and seed availability.

Behaviour

Highly intelligent, primarily diurnal with increased activity at dawn and dusk. Usually solitary or in pairs during breeding; gather in loose flocks outside breeding season; noisy and wary with sharp alarm calls.

Hunting tips

Look for droppings near roosts and feeding sites, and track pairs that follow consistent daily routes between roosting and foraging areas. Approach from downwind across open ground using available cover; crows are highly vigilant, so move during their feeding or preening phases. Early morning near roosting sites or at carrion locations offers best opportunities.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 7 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.