Cuban Crow

Overview

The Cuban crow (Corvus nasicus) is a medium-sized forest crow species native to the northern Caribbean. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Stocky body measuring 40–42 cm in length with black plumage showing a bluish-purple gloss in good light.
• Long, deep bill with a gentle curve towards the tip, creating a large-headed profile; bill, legs, and feet are black.
• Nasal bristles sweep forward and upward, frequently revealing the nostrils, a trait rare in the genus Corvus.
• Distinctive voice featuring strange liquid bubbling notes, high ringing sounds, and a thin screeched "aaaaauh" that rises in inflection.

Habitat

Found commonly across most of the island of Cuba, the nearby Isla de la Juventud, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. It inhabits woodland and areas cleared for agriculture, frequently adapting to close contact with human settlements such as farms and villages.

Diet

Fruit and insects form the core of its diet, though it readily takes human food and scavenges for scraps when available. Large, noisy flocks feed in trees, and the species also forages on the ground for spilled grain and unprotected seeds.

Did you know?

Unlike almost all other members of the genus Corvus, the nasal bristles of the Cuban crow sweep forward and upward, frequently revealing the nostrils.