HOODED CROW
Some reference books state that the hooded crow and carrion crow are separate species, others, that they are the same species, but with different plumage. Whichever is correct, if you live in England, Wales, Spain, France or Portugal, you see the all black carrion crow. The rest of Europe see the hooded crow, although there is some interbreeding between the species where their territories crossover. Here on Kefalonia we have the hoodie, with its grey body and black wings, tail, head and black streaky bib.
The hoodie nests in the tops of trees with a loose untidy nest of twigs which is well concealed. This is because their specialty is to rob other birds of their eggs. They also feed on refuse, carrion, insects and invertebrates, especially along the seashore. They have 1 brood a year in the early summer with 4 to 6 eggs. The juveniles have the same plumage as the adults. Their flight pattern is straight with steady wing beats, no acrobatics like the raven.
