Fun Pied Crow Facts For Kids

The animals being discussed today are southern pied crow (Corvus albus) birds from the Corvidae family, genus Corvus, and class Aves. Found mainly in the continent of Africa, they are members of the crow family.

These birds have a black and white body with a black colored beak. The number of different cousins that these pied crow birds have is mind-boggling but is surely worth exploring.

So, here are some fascinating African pied crow facts for you to explore. Afterward, do check out our other articles on the willet and the northwestern crow.

Pied Crow Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a pied crow?

The African pied crow (Corvus albus), black and white in color, is a vertebrate bird discovered first in eastern Africa. It is a bird that belongs to the Corvus genus making it a member of the crow family. The pied carrion crow bird from Africa has a small breast and a small bill.

What class of animal does a pied crow belong to?

The pied crow (Corvus albus) belongs to the class of Aves, which makes them birds. These African birds are able to fly, like most members of the Aves class. Their wingspan measures up to 39 in (98 cm).

How many pied crows are there in the world?

The conservation status of pied crows is currently Least Concern as listed by the IUCN, and it can be safely said that these African birds are present in millions all over the world, particularly in Africa.

Where does a pied crow live?

Pied crows are found in wooded scrubs and open forests but not so much in rainforests or deserts. These large birds can also be spotted near towns or other forms of settlements. A pied crow nest is built using various random things found in this bird's habitat.

What is a pied crow's habitat?

Pied crows are known for building their nests in a habitat of tall trees that are isolated or in an open country area. They tend to forage and hunt in groups on open grounds in Africa.

Who do pied crows live with?

Pied crows are not known for being keen on maintaining a huge family. They are usually found in pairs or small groups, but if the surrounding environment provides ample amounts of food, they can gather in large numbers.

How long does a pied crow live?

Pied crows live for about six to 10 years in the wild, but they can live as long as 20 years in captivity.

How do they reproduce?

Pied crows mate from September to November but it also depends on the latitude of the region they dwell in. Pied crows reproduce sexually and lay about three to six eggs during the mating season.

Both the male and the female incubate these for 18-19 days, after which the eggs hatch. The chicks are protected and cared for by both of their parents after the eggs hatch.

That is until they have grown large enough to fend for themselves, which is after around 35-45 days. A pied crow's eggs are pale green in color, with dots of brown decorating them.

What is their conservation status?

Pied crows are classified under the Least Concern category by the IUCN. So, it can be safely assumed that their populations are not threatened in any way.

Pied Crow Fun Facts

What do pied crows look like?

Pied crows look like common crows but with a huge white bib, a tail, and a black head. Their neck is surrounded by a white shade that extends all over their glossy black body from their bill to their tail.

Their plumage is jet black, as expected from the crow family and their wings are medium in size. Their beaks are sometimes shaded with a grayish color and are slightly curved. Pied crows are not adorned with fancy feathers or features, but they still manage to exude magnificence.

Crows are stereotypically seen as annoying but some people think that they are cute enough to light up a room. Their charm and intelligence are especially effective when they are in captivity, and these cute black and white birds are popular pets for bird lovers.

Have you ever been lucky enough to see a pied crow bird in real life?

How do they communicate?

Pied crows, like a lot of other bird species belonging to the Corvus genus with a bill, use the classic 'ka-ka-ka' sound to communicate. This is known as cawing and the bird spreads its wings towards its breast as it makes this sound.

They are quite intelligent as well. Pied crows are capable of communication through movement in-flight, pupil dilations, and sounds. Their nest is quite small when compared to other birds.

How big is a pied crow?

Pied crows are slightly bigger than carrion crows with an average-sized bill. They are very similar in size but the pied crow just trumps the carrion in size.

Pied crows have slightly more proportionate bills, longer tails and legs, and larger wings. They also have better flight skills when leaving their nest. Their size ranges between 18-20 in (46-52 cm) with a wingspan of up to 39 in (98 cm).

How fast can a pied crow fly?

Species under the family of young crows usually have a speed of 30-60 mph (48-97 kph) in flight. The same can be expected of pied crows living in a nest. A young female crow also flies at this speed. The typical pied crow plumage covers its breast region during winters.

How much does a pied crow weigh?

Pied crows weigh an average of about 1.10-1.14 lb (499-520 g). Both males and females weigh the same in this species.

What are their male and female names of the species?

The pied crow belongs to the Aves family, which makes it a bird. The terms 'cock' and 'hen' are used when referring to male and female pied crows respectively.

What would you call a baby pied crow?

Baby pied crows are called chicks due to them belonging to the bird family.

What do they eat?

Pied crows survive by eating food like insects and small animals like bats, frogs, mice, and lizards. They can also eat fruits, seeds, cereals, nuts, and potatoes and scavenge garbage.

Pied crows have also been observed to enjoy food such as mollusks and fish. They also eat the eggs of other birds.

Are they predators?

Pied crows are predators. They hunt small animals such as rodents and insects and even eat the eggs of other birds!

Their food habits lean more towards the carnivorous side of the spectrum but they can also eat seeds and grains as their diet.

Would they make a good pet?

A pied crow pet is a popular idea and this bird has been kept as a pet by a lot of people. You must consider all of their requirements before keeping one as a pet though, including their need for mischief which is common amongst adult pied crows!

They have a good memory and are sensitive too. They will remember the times you are nice to them and those when you are not.

They can also be very sneaky in their behavior when they want to be.

A pied crow might also be able to answer a few questions, obey common instructions, or present mimicry. Thus, they'll make good pets, but overall it is often better to let them roam freely in the wild and live out their lives in their natural habitat.

Did you know...

Pied crows are monogamous and have been observed to be loyal to one mate for life.

Pied crows share a general love for shiny things that crows seem to have in common, and they can use tools to solve problems.

Pied crows are known for flocking over regions in large numbers to mob other birds and seize their prey. They also steal food from otters and seabirds.

Crows have a variety of collective adjectives to choose from, which means a group of pied crows can be called a murder of pied crows. Other such adjectives include 'horde', 'muster', 'storytelling', and 'parcel'.

Other members of this genus of birds include ravens, jackdaws, and lots of other groups of crows and birds.

Pied crows can give out their casing in different tones based on whether it is guttural, nasal, flat, or hollow.

How smart are pied crows?

Pied crows are thought to be a little bit smarter than other animals. There is also scientific proof to back this claim.

Some ornithologists claim that some pied crows even behave like great apes when it comes to their problem-solving skills. Pied crows are said to have the cognitive equivalent of a five to seven-year-old child and that means they can imitate expressions and sounds that they hear.

Getting your own pied crow

Pied crows are the most widely distributed birds in Africa. They are sometimes kept as pets (they can be bought from specialized softbill breeders), but this is no easy work.

Pied crows require lots of room to move around in and need lots of exercise as well. For this reason, they need an outdoor aviary to live in, rather than a standard bird cage. Crows are inquisitive by nature and often want to peck at things.

They can also be a little destructive to things. Ironically, pied crows are also very sensitive.

Pieds crows need really patient and careful caregivers. They are unlikely to forget any negative behavior on the carer's part, which could make them stressed.

It is important to remember whenever dealing with pets that they completely depend on you for their happiness. When their sense of stability is disturbed by unpredictable behavior, they will feel insecure and might act differently.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our carrion crow facts and tricolored heron facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Pied crow coloring pages.

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