Fun Banggai Crow Facts For Kids

There are a total of 40 species of crows in the world and the Banggai crow (Corvus unicolor) is one of them. These birds belong to the family Corvidae and genus Corvus. The Banggai crow (Corvus unicolor) is endemic to the Banggai regency in the Sulawesi, Indonesia.

They are seen in montane forest, mountains, and the Banggai archipelago island. They are small to medium-sized crows which are seldom seen out in the open. They are primarily carnivores and feed on mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and eggs.

The Banggai crow (Corvus unicolor) is classified as a Critically Endangered species by the IUCN International Union For Conservation Of Nature. They were initially considered extinct as per surveys but were rediscovered in Peleng Island in Indonesia in 2007 and 2008.

The primary threats impacting them apart from predators are habitat loss and degradation. Their populations are expected to decline further in the coming years. These birds of the world need protection and they have been protected under initiatives introduced in their favor, helping to stabilize their local populations.

For more relatable content, check out these fact files on the Hawaiian hawk and the vesper sparrow.

Banggai Crow Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Banggai crow?

The Banggai crow (Corvus unicolor) is a crow species from the kingdom Animalia, phylum Chordata, and genus Corvus.

What class of animal does a Banggai crow belong to?

The Banggai crow (Corvus unicolor) belongs to class Aves, order Passeriformes, family Corvidae, and genus Corvus.  

How many Banggai crows are there in the world?

The exact population of Banggai crows (Corvus unicolor) is estimated at 500 mature individuals living in montane forests, forests, mountains, and islands. Their population trend is decreasing.

Where does a Banggai crow live?

The Banggai crow (Corvus unicolor) lives in trees in a forest, mountains, or on an Indonesian island. This crow species is only found in the Banggai regency in the central Sulawesi in Indonesia.

What is a Banggai crow's habitat?

The Banggai crow species lives in a variety of habitats including a forest, in mountains, or on the Banggai Archipelago island. They are primarily carnivore birds. They build nests in colonies like a family and their local habitat is in a forest on a horizontal branch on a tree.

Who do Banggai crows live with?

Banggai crows tend to be solitary in their habitat. However, they can be seen in pairs and may also form social groups in their local habitat. These birds of the world are rarely seen since their population is scarce. They are primarily found in a forest, mountain, or on Sulawesi island in Indonesia.

How long does a Banggai crow live?

A Banggai crow's exact lifespan is not evaluated. Crows have a minimum life expectancy of 20 years. The oldest recorded crow in the world is an American crow that lived for 16 years and four months.

How do they reproduce?

Male and female Banggai crows reproduce sexually and mating lasts three to 10 seconds. After mating, the a female Banggai crow lays one to three eggs.

Male and female crows form monogamous pairs, staying together for groups. They have courtship calls and other displays to attract one another. They mate multiple times throughout their life as well.

They build nests on a horizontal branch on a tree and  they build new nests each year and rarely use the same nest again. After the crows fledge, adult crows do not return to their nest to take care of their family.

What is their conservation status?

The Banggai crow is classified as a Critically Endangered  species by the International Union For Conservation Of Nature (IUCN). Their population was once considered extinct, however, this species was rediscovered on the Indonesian island of Banggai.

Banggai Crow Fun Facts

What do Banggai crows look like?

Banggai crows are small crows with an overall black plumage. They are often confused with other subspecies like the slender-billed crow (Corvus enca).

A slender-billed crow (Corvus enca) has slender bills. Banggai crows are completely different from the slender-billed crow (Corvus enca). They can be identified by their completely black body with a pale iris and a pointed bill.

This bird species has a short tail at the end of its body. They have two dark-colored feet which they use to gain stability while resting on the branches of trees. Banggai crows are seldom seen unless you spot them in the region they are native to.

Their length is 15.4 in (39 cm). The average Banggai crow wingspan is not known.

* Please note this is the image of a northwestern crow, not a Banggai crow. If you have an image of a Banggai crow, please let us know at hello@kidadl.com.

How cute are they?

These birds of the world are not ideally cute. However, they are exotic beings and were once considered extinct, but are now Critically Endangered. If you wish to see this bird species, you will have to visit the region they are native to, including the Indonesian islands.

The Banggai crow was known to science only by two specimens described in 1900 and rediscovered in 2007. The two specimens had unique colors and these two specimens were found in Indonesia. Sound recordings of the two specimens were made and birdwatchers in the mountains of Peleng photographed these two specimens.  

How do they communicate?

The Banggai crow or bird is a slender-billed crow that communicates using its throat and vocal cords. They communicate using a series of loud calls. This species communicates using 'coos', 'caws', 'rattles' as well as 'clicks'. Crows have the capability to recognize humans, although they might not communicate with them.

How big is a Banggai crow?

The Banggai crow species is estimated to be 15.4 in (39 cm) long, which is 10 times bigger than the bee hummingbird species, which is the smallest bird measuring 2.2-2.4 in (5.5-6.1 cm).

How fast can a Banggai crow fly?

Banggai crow flight speed is not known. The average crow species flies at a speed of 30-60 mph (48.3- 96.6 kph) and usually spreads its tail while in flight. Banggai crow migration happens depending on changes in climatic conditions.

How much does a Banggai crow weigh?

Banggai crow weight is not evaluated. The heaviest bird in the world is the ostrich species that may weigh up to 200 lb (90.7 kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

A Banggai crow male and a Banggai crow female are not addressed differently. They are mostly similar in appearance and differ only in reproductive functions.

What would you call a baby Banggai crow?

A baby Banggai crow is called a chick. The young chick is dependent on its family in the initial few weeks, however, post-fledging, the parents leave the young to be independent.

What do they eat?

Banggai crows are primarily carnivores, meaning they consume a local meat-based diet. However, they are known to consume grains, seeds, nuts, and fruits.

These birds of the world are endemic to Indonesia and not seen in other parts of the world. Their meat-based foods include mice, worms, chicken, and other meat species. Given that these birds of the world have a wide range of diets, they are accommodative towards various environments.

Are they dangerous?

Crows are clever beings and capable of being harmful towards other crows in order to defend their territory. Crows are known to remember human faces and may also take revenge if they were troubled in some ways, however, they do not kill other crows and only attack their prey.

Would they make a good pet?

No, the Banggai crow endangered species is seldom seen and is almost on the verge of extinction. They are best observed in their natural habitat. If you wish to adopt birds, you should consider other birds species parakeets or parrots species who are more sociable and friendly as a pet.

Did you know...

Throughout history, ravens and most blackbirds are feared because of their appearance. All crows and ravens belong to the same Genus species. Crow can be found everywhere except in Antarctica and South America.

Crows fight off predators by coming together in a group in order to shoo them away. There are other bird species known for traveling together in flocks to avoid being attacked. Predators that can eat them include hawks, garter snakes and raccoons.

How did the Banggai crow get its name?

The Banggai crow (Corvus unicolor) is endemic to the Banggai regency in the east coast and central Sulawesi in Indonesia, explaining the name Banggai crow. They are similar in coloration to other crow species, however, they differ in size and are seen in a specific range.

The Banggai crow species was once considered extinct. However, they were later rediscovered, offered protection, and given the conservation status of Critically Endangered.

What is special about crows?

Crows play a vital role in waste management, meaning they have a purpose. They consume tons of waste as food and help get rid of possible diseases and odors.

They are omnivores and this is beneficial to the environment. Apart from this, crows are also recognized since they symbolize transformation and change. In ancient history tales or folklore, crows are represented as intelligent beings or as dark omens.

Crows are extremely intelligent beings and capable of problem-solving. They are known to remember the face of local residents in their area and if local residents do trouble them in some way, they are known to remember faces and take revenge.

They are also capable of warning other crows about people who attack them. Have you ever come across crows?

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these vulture facts and owl facts for kids.

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