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African Pied Crow
Corvus albus
The African pied crow is highly intelligent and adaptable to many of environments. It stands about 18 inches tall with black feathers and a distinctive white breast and collar.
Range & Habitat
Open mountainous habitats in eastern and southern Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. They are also found in Madagascar, the Comoro Islands and the Assumption Islands.
At the Zoo: Outdoor birds – “Pole barn.”
Conservation Status: Least Concern
The pied crow is common and widespread throughout southern Africa.
Diet
In the Wild -- Insects, maize, peanuts, fruit, seeds, carrion, small mammals, bird eggs, tortoises, lizards, mollusks, and sometimes humans’ garbage.
At the Zoo: Insects (crickets, superworms, mealworms), meatballs made from canine diet and feline diet, mixed vegetables, pigeon pellets, mice and a variety of fruit.
Life Span
In the Wild – 6-10 years
In Human Care - up to 20 years.
In Human Care - up to 20 years.
Fun Facts about the African Pied Crow
- Pied crows follow bush fires to eat insects and they follow ploughs to forage for invertebrates.
- Crows are fearless when chasing away predators such as golden or bald eagles. They will drop stones, sticks or pinecones onto predators or people!
- Crows are emotional animals, reacting to hunger and invasion of their space with noisy vocalizations. In human care, they form tight bonds with their keepers.
Sources
Gibbons, C. (n.d.). Pied crow. Retrieved Feb. 09, 2006, from Birds of the World on Postage Stamps Web site: http://www.bird-stamps.org/species/175105.htm.
Myers, P., R. Espinoza, C.S. Parr, T. Jones, G.S. Hammond, and T.A. Dewey. 2005. The Animal Diversity Web (online). Accessed January 07, 2006 at http://animaldiversity.org.
Natural Encounters, Inc., (1999). Bird biographies: pied crow. Retrieved Jan. 21, 2006, from Natural Encounters, Inc. Web site: http://www.naturalencounters.com/abby2b.html.
Naturalia, (n.d.). Pied crow. Retrieved Feb. 09, 2006, from Zoo in the Wild Web site: http://www.naturalia.org/ZOO/AN_CIELO/e_corvo_bn.html.
Oakland Zoo, (2003). Animals a-z: pied crow. Retrieved Feb. 09, 2006, from Oakland Zoo Web site: http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azpied.html.
Pied Crow, (2000). Pied Crow - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures. Retrieved July 08, 2020 from Animalia.bio Web site http://animalia.bio/pied-crow
Updated June 13, 2023
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