Carrion Crow

Habitat: The Carrion Crow is a territorial species. All open environments with tall trees are suitable, and in the polders, the species sometimes settles in rows of willows. It does not breed in the middle of forests, but rather on the edges. Despite its great caution towards humans, it is increasingly found in inhabited areas, at least where it is left alone. The highest density is found in rural livestock farming areas where the wooded area is highly fragmented.

Appearance: A widespread resident bird in Europe, but only a summer visitor in northern Scandinavia. In Belgium and the Netherlands, it is a numerous breeding bird, year-round resident and winter visitor in large to very large numbers.

Breeding season: March to July, nests in trees, 3 to 6 eggs.

Characteristics: Length 44 to 51 cm, wingspan 84 to 100 cm, weight 430 to 610 grams, lifespan 19 years.

Food: The carrion crow is an omnivore and benefits from numerous human activities: grains during sowing and harvesting, earthworms and beetles during ploughing, crane flies and snails in damp meadows, all kinds of food waste in landfills and along rivers, animals killed by traffic along roads, dead or injured game, etc.