Birdfinding.info ⇒ Fairly common and conspicuous across north-central Jamaica, especially in the region south of Ocho Rios. Among the frequently visited sites, it is most reliably found at Stewart Town and Ecclesdown Road—although it may be disappearing from the latter. Generally present at Cockpit Country sites such as Barbecue Bottom / Burnt Hill Road and Windsor. It can sometimes be found at Rocklands Bird Sanctuary.
Jamaican Crow
Corvus jamaicensis
Endemic to Jamaica, where it occupies woodlands and mixed agricultural areas of northern and central Jamaica east to the latitude of Kingston. A small, isolated population persists on the northeastern flank of the John Crow Mountains.
Jamaican Crow survey results, 2008-2013: green dots indicate presence, and red dots indicate sites surveyed with no detections. © Gary R. Graves and Brian K. Schmidt
A systematic survey conducted between 2008 and 2013 produced a total population estimate of up to 2900 individuals, with the highest densities in the north-central highlands. (Graves and Schmidt 2015)
Identification
Unlikely to be confused as it is the only crow on Jamaica. Has a remarkably large bill. Often loud and conspicuous.
Jamaican Crow, showing its reddish eye and massive bill. (Rocklands Bird Sanctuary, Jamaica; January 8, 2012.) © Ken Simonite
Jamaican Crow. (Windsor, Jamaica; July 5, 2008.) © Steve Metz
Jamaican Crow. (Rocklands Bird Sanctuary, Jamaica; January 8, 2012.) © Ken Simonite
Jamaican Crow. (Windsor, Jamaica; July 5, 2008.) © Steve Metz
Jamaican Crow, overhead flight silhouette. (Stewart Town, Jamaica; March 9, 2018.) © Tom Johnson
Notes
Monotypic species.
References
BirdLife International. 2016. Corvus jamaicensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22706007A94045825. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22706007A94045825.en. (Accessed August 7, 2018.)
Haynes-Sutton, A., A. Downer, R. Sutton, and Y.-J. Rey-Millet. 2009. A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Jamaica. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.
Graves, G.R., and B.K. Schmidt. 2015. Distribution, Abundance, and Conservation Status of the Jamaican Crow, Corvus jamaicensis. Caribbean Naturalist 27:1-18.
Marzluff, J. 2017. Jamaican Crow (Corvus jamaicensis). In Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D.A. Christie and E. de Juana, eds.). Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. https://www.hbw.com/node/60791. (Accessed December 2, 2017.)
Raffaele, H., J. Wiley, O. Garrido, A. Keith, and J. Raffaele. 1998. A Guide to the Birds of the West Indies. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.