The Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) (also called hoodiecrow) is a Eurasian bird species in the Corvus genus. Widely distributed, it is also known locally as Scotch crow, Danish crow, and grey crow (in Ireland and Denmark). Found across Northern, Eastern and Southeastern Europe, as well as parts of the Middle East, it is an ashy grey bird with black head, throat, wings, tail and thigh feathers, as well as a black bill, eyes and feet. Like other corvids it is an omnivorous and opportunistic forager and feeder.
It is so similar in morphology and habits to the carrion crow (Corvus corone) that for many years they were considered by most authorities to be geographical races of one species. Hybridization observed where their ranges overlapped added weight to this view. However, since 2002, the hooded crow has been elevated to full species status after closer observation; the hybridization was less than expected and hybrids had decreased vigor.
The binomial name is derived from the Latin words Corvus, "raven", and cornix, "crow".
Hooded crows and carrion crows differ at 0.28% of the genome. The vast majority of differences are in a 2 Mb region (probably inverted between the two crows) containing 40 genes, including genes involved in pigmentation, vision and social dominance behavior.
The hooded crow, with its contrasted greys and blacks, cannot be confused with either the carrion crow or Rook, but the About this sound kraa call notes of the two are almost indistinguishable.
The hooded crow breeds in northern and eastern Europe, and closely allied forms inhabit southern Europe and western Asia. Where its range overlaps with carrion crow, as in northern Britain, Germany, Denmark, northern Italy and Siberia, their hybrids are fertile. However, the hybrids are less well-adapted than pure-bred birds, and this is one of the reasons that this species was split from the carrion crow. There are some areas, such as Iran and central Russia, where little or no interbreeding occurs.
This species is a secondary host of the parasitic great spotted cuckoo, the European magpie being the preferred host. However, in areas where the latter species is absent, such as Israel and Egypt, the hooded crow becomes the normal corvid host.
This species, like its relative, is seen regularly killed by farmers and on grouse estates. In County Cork, Ireland the county's gun clubs shot over 23,000 hooded crows in two years in the early 1980s.