A Corps of Hooded Crows?The last of the Corvids native to Britain, the hooded crow was once thought
A Corps of Hooded Crows?The last of the Corvids native to Britain, the hooded crow was once thought to be just another form of Carrion Crow. DNA testing showed how wrong they were. Hooded crows seem to have originated in Russia, west of the Urals, and spread into Scandinavia and then to the British Isles and Ireland. Today Corvus Cormix is found in Northern Ireland and western and northern parts of Scotland, where it largely replaces the carrion crow. Though both species have similar diets and behaviour, the ‘hoodie’ is more sociable when feeding and is more often seen in groups. But it is in looks that the two species really diverge – the hoodie has a battleship grey body with black head, wings and tail.Being a “southerner” in England, I saw this bird for the first time in a snowy park in Moscow and was absolutely riveted by its good looks and casual sort of confidence, goes about its business without worrying about who is watching it work. If Sherlock is a Magpie and John is a Jackdaw (smallest of the Corvids and jack is a form of John), I think Mycroft is a Raven. Moriarty is a rook and Magnussen a Carrion Crow. That makes Mary into the Jay, and Eurus might well be a Chough, doomed to frequent the coastal rocky cliffs of Sherrinford. Or perhaps Irene Adler. Given the red bill and feet of the chough, it matches Irene’s red lipstick and Laboutin shoes. Perhaps Lestrade is the hooded crow with its grey feathers. -- source link