carrion crow

noun

: a uniformly black crow (Corvus corone corone) occurring in much of western Europe

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

But all crows have a large brain-to-body size ratio, which may explain the carrion crow's cosmopolitan success. —Discover Magazine, 1 Aug. 2012

Also known as a carrion crow, the large raptor measures 22 to 29 inches in length with a wingspan of roughly five feet. —Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Sep. 2021

Or perhaps because owls often are attacked and harassed during the day by carrion crows, kestrels and other birds. —James Gorman, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2019

Researchers will train the birds to respond to visual cues, such as flashing lights, and then figure out whether hooded and carrion crows can detect different visual contrasts. —Quanta Magazine, 5 Aug. 2014

Word History

First Known Use

1528, in the meaning defined above