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Australia is home to three species of crows: the Little Crow, the Torresian Crow, and the Forest Crow. While crows are not protected under national legislation in Australia, their conservation status and protection may vary at the state or territory level. In Western Australia, the Little Crow is found across most of the state, except in the far north and southwest. The Torresian Crow is found in the northern half of the country and in parts of northern Western Australia. The Forest Crow is found in Tasmania. The Australian Raven, a close relative of the crow, is also found in Western Australia. While it is not a protected species, it is listed as a species of least concern by the IUCN.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of crow species in Australia | 3 |
| Names of the three species | Little Crow, Torresian Crow, Forest Crow |
| Little Crow range | Across mainland Australia, west of the Great Divide, including South Australia and most of Western Australia |
| Torresian Crow range | Northern Australia, including Queensland, the Northern Territory, and parts of the north of Western Australia |
| Forest Crow range | Tasmania |
| Australian Raven range | Southern and northeastern Australia, including eastern Australia, southern Western Australia, and central Queensland |
| Conservation status of crows in Australia | Not protected under national legislation; conservation status and protection may vary at the state or territory level |
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What You'll Learn
Australian Raven in Western Australia
The Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides) is a native Australian passerine corvid bird. It is distinguished from other corvids by its long chest feathers, or throat hackles, which are prominent in mature birds. The Australian Raven is slightly larger than the Little Crow, with a length of 46-53 centimetres (18-21 inches) and a wingspan of 100 centimetres (39 inches). Its weight is around 650 grams (1+7⁄16 pounds). The raven has an all-black plumage, beak, and mouth, along with strong, greyish-black legs and feet. The upper parts of its body have a glossy sheen in shades of purple-blue and green, and its black feathers have grey bases.
The Australian Raven is found in eastern, southern, and central Australia, including southern Western Australia. Its range extends from the head of the Great Australian Bight in South Australia westwards into Western Australia, with its northern limits being Shark Bay and the mulga-eucalypt boundary line. It is also found on some offshore islands, such as Rottnest Island and Kangaroo Island. The Australian Raven is the most common urban corvid in Perth, Sydney, and Canberra. It is also present in Tasmania, where it is the only corvid species.
The Australian Raven is highly adaptable and can be found in a wide range of habitats, including wetland, coastal, heathland, forest, woodland, and rainforest. They are known to inhabit urban areas, forests, and savannah woodlands. The species is also found in arid regions and farmlands.
The Australian Raven is an opportunistic feeder with a diverse diet that includes insects, small mammals, reptiles, fruits, seeds, and carrion. They are known for their intelligence, problem-solving skills, and vocal communication. They exhibit a variety of contact calls, including low murmuring sounds when preening each other while roosting, and quiet chattering when resting in flocks.
In terms of protection status, crows in Australia, including the Australian Raven, are not protected under national legislation. However, their conservation status and protection may vary at the state or territory level. Therefore, it is essential to refer to the specific regulations and guidelines of the relevant state or territory authority for accurate information on the protection status of crows in Western Australia.
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Little Crow in Western Australia
Little Crows (Corvus bennetti) are the smallest of Australian crows and ravens. They are found across mainland Australia, west of the Great Divide, including South Australia and most of Western Australia. Little Crows are rarely found in the far north of Australia or in Tasmania. They are highly mobile and nomadic, except during breeding seasons when they defend small territories around their nest trees. They are gregarious and are usually found in flocks of 5–100 birds, but sometimes in larger flocks of hundreds or even thousands. They are rarely seen in pairs, singly, or in small family groups.
Little Crows are mainly found in dry open woodlands, especially in Mulga and other acacia scrubs. They are also seen in worked farmland and often forage around human activities where food is available, including towns, homesteads, rubbish tips, campsites, and roadsides, taking food scraps, roadkill, and other carrion. When breeding, they may be seen in wetlands or watercourses because mud is used to build nests. Little Crows are highly adaptable and can breed whenever conditions suit, often after heavy rain. Their nests are made of small sticks and mud, lined with bark, feathers, leaves, or fur. The nests are usually built in an upright, multi-pronged fork at, or near, the top of a tree, usually among foliage but occasionally in a dead tree. Nestlings and fledglings are fed by both parents.
Little Crows are considered a pest in the sheep industry, especially during lambing season, as they are known to take eggs from fowl yards and sometimes eat commercial grain crops. However, they are also useful to farmers and pastoralists because they eat large numbers of grasshoppers, blowflies, and other insect pests or their larvae.
In Western Australia, Little Crows are not commonly found around the Perth region.
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Torresian Crow in Western Australia
The Torresian Crow (Corvus orru), also known as the Australian Crow or Papuan Crow, is a large, glossy black bird native to the northern and western regions of Australia. It has a distinctive deep, hoarse call and a robust bill. The species has an extensive distribution across Australia, particularly in the tropical north of the country, extending as far south as Forster on the east coast of New South Wales and to between Geraldton and Norseman in South Western Australia.
In Western Australia, the Torresian Crow is found in coastal and tropical areas, with a patchy distribution inland. It inhabits various habitats, including urban areas, forests, savannah woodlands, rainforests, scrublands, beaches, and dry areas with permanent water sources. The species is well-adapted to fringe habitats, including farmland, towns, and cities, and is commonly found in many of Western Australia's largest cities and rural areas.
The Torresian Crow is a highly adaptable species that has benefited from the expansion of agricultural activities and urbanisation in Australia. Its population has been increasing, and it is now one of the most common corvids in Western Australia, particularly in coastal towns and cities. The proliferation of Torresian Crows in urban areas has led to some local residents complaining about the noise created by large congregations of these birds in communal roosting sites.
The Torresian Crow exhibits social behaviour, forming monogamous breeding pairs that maintain permanent territories. Both sexes build nests together, demonstrating their ability to cooperate. These nests are typically placed high in trees or artificial structures, showcasing their comfort in urban environments. While the Torresian Crow is considered a pest by farmers due to crop damage, it also plays an important ecological role in pest control by feeding on insects and small animals.
In terms of protection, crows in Australia, including the Torresian Crow, are not protected under national legislation. However, their conservation status and protection may vary at the state or territory level. Therefore, it is essential to refer to the specific regulations and guidelines of the relevant authorities in Western Australia for accurate information on the protection status of the Torresian Crow within the state.
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Forest Raven in Western Australia
In Australia, crows are not protected under national legislation. However, their conservation status and protection may vary at the state or territory level. In Western Australia, the Little Crow is found across most of the state, except in the far north and southwest. The Torresian Crow is found in the northern parts of the state. The Australian Raven is also found in southern Western Australia.
The Forest Raven (Corvus tasmanicus), also known as the Tasmanian Raven, is a passerine bird in the family Corvidae. It is native to Tasmania and parts of southern Victoria, such as Wilsons Promontory and Portland. Populations are also found in some parts of New South Wales, including Dorrigo and Armidale. The forest raven is the largest of the Australian corvids, with adults measuring 50-53 cm in length and weighing approximately 650 g. They have all-black plumage, beak, and legs, with grey feather bases. The forest raven lives in a wide variety of habitats in Tasmania but is restricted to more closed forests on the mainland.
Ian Rowley proposed that the common ancestor of the five species diverged into a tropical crow and temperate raven after entering Australia from the north around 4 million years ago. The raven then further diverged into the ancestor of the forest and little ravens in the east and the Australian raven in the west. As the climate cooled and dried, the central Australian habitat became inhospitable, completely separating the species. As the climate eventually became warmer, the western ravens spread eastwards and nearly outcompeted the forest ravens on mainland Australia.
The Forest Raven was first described by John Latham in 1781 as the "South-Seas raven" with loose throat feathers, found in "the Friendly Isles" (Tonga). German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin gave the species the name Corvus australis in 1788. In 1912, Scottish naturalist William Robert Ogilvie-Grant clarified the species as C. coronoides (raven, incorporating little and Australian ravens) and C. cecilae (Torresian crow). In the same year, Gregory Mathews described the forest raven as a distinct subspecies (Corvus marianae tasmanicus) of the Australian raven. Ian Rowley raised the forest raven to species rank in 1970, noting that it was clearly larger than the little raven with a much more massive bill.
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Conservation status of crows in Western Australia
Australia is home to three species of crows: the Little Crow, the Torresian Crow, and the Forest Crow. The Little Crow is found across most of Western Australia, except in the far north and southwest of the state. The Torresian Crow is native to northern Australia, including Queensland, the Northern Territory, and parts of northern Western Australia. The Forest Crow is found in the wetter forests of Tasmania.
While crows are not protected under national legislation in Australia, their conservation status and protection may vary at the state or territory level. In Western Australia, the conservation status of crows is particularly relevant to the Little Crow and the Torresian Crow.
The Little Crow, also known as the Little Raven, is the smallest of the Australian crows and ravens. It is highly mobile and nomadic, defending small territories around its nest trees during breeding seasons. Little Crows are gregarious and are usually found in flocks, rarely in pairs or small family groups. While they are considered pests in the sheep industry due to their habit of taking eggs and eating commercial grain crops, they are also beneficial to farmers by consuming insect pests.
The Torresian Crow is a highly adaptable species that has benefited from agricultural activities and urbanisation in Australia. Its population has been increasing, and it is now found in many of Australia's largest cities and rural areas. The Torresian Crow has glossy black plumage and a characteristic deep, hoarse call.
In Western Australia, the conservation status of crows, specifically the Little Crow and the Torresian Crow, is influenced by their adaptability, ecological role, and potential impact on certain industries. While they may be considered pests in some situations, they also play an important role in the natural environment and contribute to the unique soundscape of the region.
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Frequently asked questions
No, crows are not protected under national legislation in Australia. However, their conservation status and protection may vary at the state or territory level.
The three species of crows found in Australia are the Little Crow, the Torresian Crow, and the Forest Crow. The Little Crow is found across most of Western Australia, except in the far north and southwest of the state. The Torresian Crow is native to northern Australia, including parts of northern Western Australia. The Forest Crow is found in Tasmania.
Yes, crows can be considered pests in certain situations, especially in agricultural areas where they may take eggs from fowl yards and eat commercial grain crops. However, they are also beneficial to farmers as they eat large numbers of insect pests.
The Little Crow, Torresian Crow, and Forest Crow are native to Australia. The House Crow is not native to Australia but has been introduced on several occasions and has the potential to become a pest.
Ravens are generally larger than crows, with a wingspan of up to 1.3 meters. Ravens also have a more distinctive call and are more solitary than crows. In Western Australia, the Australian Raven is the most common species of raven and is distinguished from crows by its long chest feathers and white eyes in adulthood.
