Large-billed crow (Corvus macrorhynchos)
Large billed crow (Corvus macrorhynchos) - This photo was taken in Japan, Tokyo
Key data
Size: 45 - 59 cm
Weight: 450 - 1000 g
Diet: Insects, fruits, seeds, and small vertebrates
Season: All year round
Observation tip: Eastern Siberia, Eastern China, Japan, the Himalayas, and Southeast Asia
Photography tips:
Lens: 400 mm or greater
Difficulty level: easy
The Large-billed Crow (Corvus macrorhynchos) is a species of crow that is native to wide areas of South and Southeast Asia. As the name suggests, the Large-billed Crow has a conspicuously strong and massive beak that appears larger than other species of crows. The Large-billed Crow has a long black beak, with the upper part noticeably curved in males. The eyes have a dark brown color and the legs are black. Compared to the sympatric occurring Common Ravens, the wings of the Large-billed Crow are shorter and have a greater width. The tail is usually rectangular, but in animals from the Himalayas, it is wedge-shaped. This shape is only visible when the tail feathers are spread during flight.
The Large-billed Crow lives in forests, agricultural areas, and urban environments. It feeds on a variety of foods, including insects, fruits, seeds, and small vertebrates. It is also known to occasionally scavenge carrion and steal human food. The Large-billed Crow is an intelligent and adaptable species.
It has a body length of about 45 to 59 cm, with males generally being slightly larger than females. Animals living in more northern and higher-altitude areas tend to be larger than those in the south and at lower altitudes. The weight usually varies between 450 and 1000 grams. Its plumage is predominantly black and appears uniformly shiny with a violet, blue, or green shimmer depending on the region, due to structural colors.
The crow is found in a wide distribution range. From the Kuril Islands in the north and the island of Sakhalin to adjacent areas in eastern Siberia. In the east, the species is found in eastern China, Japan, the Himalayas (Afghanistan and northern Pakistan), and almost throughout Southeast Asia, including Java, Sumatra, and Timor. The Large-billed Crow is also native to Sri Lanka and the Andaman Islands.
In the west, the distribution range is narrower and follows the coastline up to Pakistan, occasionally reaching the Iranian Gulf coast. At higher altitudes, the species can also be found in areas above 5,000 meters in the Himalayas.