Guess the riddle: what is a black bird with a black beak? Some may think that this is a rook, but no! This is just his "twin" - a black crow. Indeed, both species of birds are similar to each other, like two drops of water. However, their life paths lead in different directions. The black crow is generally one of the first birds ever to be described by Carl Linnaeus himself. Let's talk about her.
Appearance
This is a black bird with a black beak and the same paws. However, it cannot be called completely black. If you look closely, you can see that its plumage has a green or purple sheen. Some ornithologists say that the structure of its feathers completely repeats the structure of rook feathers, even their reflection becomes the same from time to time. However, they are completely different types of birds.
Not to be confused with rooks
It is worth noting thatthis bird is completely and completely different from the common raven and from its closest relatives - the gray crows. At the same time, it is so similar to a rook that both of these species are often confused with each other. Remember, the beak of a black crow is much larger than that of a rook. Moreover, in adult rooks, the nostrils are bare, while in black crows of different ages they are covered with bristle feathers.
Rooks are distinguished from crows by a bright purple-blue sheen of plumage. Their beaks are not as huge as those of their black "twins", and so-called "panties" grow near the legs - feathers that cover them. However, the most important feature that distinguishes black crows from rooks is the presence of wide and rounded feathers on the back of the latter's head.
Rooks usually live in packs, and crows live in pairs. Often, both of them feed within the same range. As you know, crows are cunning and arrogant birds. This is what saves them in the winter: they gather in groups of 15-20 individuals, after which they occupy the nests of their "twins" - rooks. So, we caught the difference between the two, now let's look at the classification of black crows.
Classification
As we said above, a black bird with a large beak is one of the few feathered species described by the scientist Carl Linnaeus in the first place. It happened in the distant XVIII century. Both gray and black crows are divided into specific and independent subspecies. Often both birds are considered as subspecies within the same species. In principle, this is not a gross mistake. It's more of a formalinaccuracy.
Following the same principle, the Far Eastern black crow is often considered within the same species, which is also not entirely true. To show the difference, here is the correct classification of the crow superfamily:
- plain gray;
- eastern grey;
- plain black;
- oriental black.
Scientific treatises describe cases of a person meeting with ravens that have some strange dark spots on their beaks. Some ornithologists at first even wanted to describe them as a separate species, but after a while it turned out that the black spots on the bird's beak are a sign of some kind of disease, and not a distinctive feature of the new species.
Where do black crows live?
The black crow, or the big-beaked black bird (as it is sometimes called), is widespread in the west of Europe: to the Elbe, towards Vienna, through the famous Alps to the north of Italy. In the East and on the territory of Eastern Siberia, another species is common - the gray crow. She, like her relative, has a black and long beak, but her plumage is not pure black, but dirty gray.
Nesting
As a place for its nesting, a black bird with a long beak chooses the edges of forests and copses located among meadows and fields. These birds settle in huge numbers in the center of large cities. Some residents are afraid of them, relying on some kind of prejudice associated with black crows, witches and mysticism.
These creatures never nestcolonies (as rooks do), but only in separate pairs of female-male. This period begins with the arrival of the first warm March days. Ornithologists pay tribute to the birds, because couples remain faithful to each other all their lives. So this bird (black with a black beak and paws) can serve as a symbol of fidelity and love.
They build their nests high above ground level - in dense and intertwined crowns of trees. The “foundation” is broken dry branches, moss and clay. Black crows line the walls of their nests with grass and wool. As a rule, from 3 to 6 eggs appear in one nest. And here, too, one should make a reservation: crow eggs very much resemble rook eggs. Only the female incubates them. The male at this time gets food.
Chicks hatch from eggs in 2 weeks. Some time after their birth, the female still warms the children, after which, together with the male, she begins to search for and bring food to them. Here is such a bird! A black crow with a black beak and paws grows quite quickly: after a month, the chicks soar into the sky, roam with their parents in various neighborhoods until the onset of winter.
Food
These birds eat carrion of all kinds with great pleasure. They will not refuse insects, worms, arachnids, small mammals and food waste. Ornithologists believe that all black crows are scavengers by their inner nature. That is why they so often visit human dwellings, because there is a lot of household waste. Oh, and the naughty is this black bird withbig beak!
These gluttons love to destroy a huge number of nests of innocent birds, because we have already said that their favorite delicacy is eggs. In addition, black crows willingly devour grains, fruits and berries, green parts of plants. They may chase birds of prey, dogs and foxes for their prey. Of course, it is difficult to imagine how exactly they are going to kill a hefty dog, but no one has yet canceled the sporting interest.
Insolence is the second happiness
Ornithologists who have conducted research and observed the behavior of birds claim that this is a very cautious, quirky and intelligent bird. Black with a black beak, plumage and paws of a crow, in their opinion, is a real generator of ideas: as soon as these creatures come up with their own food. Deceit and deceit are in their blood. The black crows that inhabit Europe are generally annoying to the point of impudence!
By the way, these smart creatures also think ahead about their behavior during nesting. Not only are their “houses” located at high altitudes (in the crowns of trees), they themselves behave in such a way that it is difficult to figure them out: the chicks in the nest are calm and quiet, and even more so their parents. If a group of crows in winter experiences any difficulties in finding food, then they will shamelessly join flocks of jackdaws and rooks, even if they are not asked.
Benefit
The economic importance of black crows in human life can hardly be overestimated. These creaturesdestroy various garbage and carrion, and also exterminate harmful rodents and insects. They love to destroy bird nests, but this is no reason to consider them pests.
