The Ultimate Corvid Tournament

One corvid to rule them all.

[corvid-tournament]

Hello all and welcome to the ultimate corvid tournament!

Do you like corvids? I like corvids! But which one is the best? Well, dear tumblr user, that will be decided by you! Over the course of four (yes four) brackets, we shall determine which species within the family corvidae shall reign supreme! Am I an ornithologist? Not even slightly! Am I pulling my information directly from Wikipedia? You bet I am! Am I just here to have a good time? Absolutely!

“Hey Corvid, you said four brackets.” Yes I did! The family corvidae consists of 24 genuses with 135 species as of posting, and I am not about to put that into one bracket. The tournament will function as follows:

All 135 species of corvids have been separated into three brackets: one for crows, ravens, and rooks, one for jays, and one for coughs, treepies, jackdaws, nutcrackers, and magpies. I will be making a separate post about the brackets themselves.

After each bracket has determined its champion, the top 4-8 (I honestly haven’t decided, I might put it to a vote) contenders from each bracket will be put into a Special Fourth Bracket to determine who is the best corvid! This bracket will be structured slightly different from the other ones to account for placement in the original brackets.

Are you excited? Well you better be! Or else.

[corvid-tournament]

Corvid Tournament Corvus Bracket Round 6; FINAL ROUND: Common Raven vs New Caledonian Crow

Common raven (corvus corax): The moment you’ve all been waiting for! Along with the thick-billed raven, it is the largest corvid at 63cm/25in long. They are all black with a greenish shine to their plumage and a large, distinct nasal feather. It has the largest range of the genus corvus, but it is classified as “holarctic,” meaning it is largely contained to the Northern Hemisphere. Their conservation status is “least concerned."

New Caledonian crow (corvus moneduloides): Sometimes called a “qua-qua” due to its distinctive sound, this bird is an all-black crow with feathers that sometimes shine green in certain lighting. It is roughly 40cm/16in long, and has a distinct beak as the tip of its lower beak angles up. It resides only on the islands of Grande Terre and Maré Island in New Caledonia. This crow is truly omnivorous and has been heavily documented on its tool use. They have even been observed to use meta- and compound tools, but they do not pass the mirror test. Its conservation status is “least concern."

Final Round: Common Raven vs New Caledonian Crow

common raven

new caledonian crow

Voting ended onAug 3, 2024

[corvid-tournament]

Announcement

Hi everyone! So sorry for falling off the face of the earth for like a month; I was busy getting Gay Married.

The winners of the semifinal are the New Caledonian Crow and the Common Raven! Stay tuned for the final match up of the corvus bracket! Once we are done with that, we will be moving on to the CTJNM bracket, so I hope you are all ready for some magpies!

[corvid-tournament]

Corvid Tournament Corvus Bracket Round 5: Northwestern Crow vs Common Raven

Northwestern crow (corvus brachyrhynchos caurinus): This is a subspecies of the American crow and is generally smaller than other American crows (40-50cm/16-20in) and has a very distinct, hoarse caw. Their range is the Pacific temperate rain forests along the coast of the northwestern US and western Canada. They were once considered their own species and are now not only a subspecies but, as of 2020, are considered a regional variant of the western crow (c. b. hesperis), another subspecies of the American crow. Their conservation status is “least concern."

Common raven (corvus corax): The moment you’ve all been waiting for! Along with the thick-billed raven, it is the largest corvid at 63cm/25in long. They are all black with a greenish shine to their plumage and a large, distinct nasal feather. It has the largest range of the genus corvus, but it is classified as “holarctic,” meaning it is largely contained to the Northern Hemisphere. Their conservation status is “least concerned."

Northwestern Crow vs Common Raven

northwestern crow

common raven

Voting ended onJun 21, 2024

[corvid-tournament]

Corvid Tournament Corvus Bracket Round 5: New Caledonian Crow vs Flores Crow

New Caledonian crow (corvus moneduloides): Sometimes called a “qua-qua” due to its distinctive sound, this bird is an all-black crow with feathers that sometimes shine green in certain lighting. It is roughly 40cm/16in long, and has a distinct beak as the tip of its lower beak angles up. It resides only on the islands of Grande Terre and Maré Island in New Caledonia. This crow is truly omnivorous and has been heavily documented on its tool use. They have even been observed to use meta- and compound tools, but they do not pass the mirror test. Its conservation status is “least concern."

Flores crow (corvus florensis): The Flores crow is a small, all-black bird that lives on the island of Flores, Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Its conservation status is “endangered” due to habitat loss caused by deforestation, parasitism by cuckoos, and generally being regarded as pests by locals. Proposals for conservation measures have been made, but nothing has been enacted. The most recent information I could find is this.

New Caledonian Crow vs Flores Crow

new caledonian crow

flores crow

Voting ended onJun 21, 2024

[corvid-tournament]

Corvid Tournament Corvus Bracket Round 5

Welcome to the semifinals! The New Caledonian crow, who barely eked out a win in the first round, is now paired against the Flores crow, the only remaining endangered corvus! The Northwestern crow is the only remaining subspecies and it is paired against the Common raven - the largest and most wide spread of them all! I hope you all are ready for these match ups!

[corvid-tournament]

Corvid Tournament Corvus Bracket Round 4: Collared Crow vs Flores Crow

Collared crow (corvus torquatus): The collared crow is a mid-sized bird at 52-55cm/20-22in long. Is easily distinguished by its white coloration pattern that wraps around the back of its neck, shoulders, and chest, leaving a black strip down its front, hence its name. It is otherwise black. Its territory is mostly eastern China, though it does not live North of Beijing. It is a true omnivore and has been shown to adapt to urban environments. Its conservation status is “vulnerable” (“near threatened” in China as of 2018) due to reduced food accessibility caused by increased pesticide use. They are currently under observation of the World Wildlife Fund, though aside from this, large scale conservation efforts have been implemented.

Flores crow (corvus florensis): The Flores crow is a small, all-black bird that lives on the island of Flores, Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Its conservation status is “endangered” due to habitat loss caused by deforestation, parasitism by cuckoos, and generally being regarded as pests by locals. Proposals for conservation measures have been made, but nothing has been enacted. The most recent information I could find is this.

Collared Crow vs Flores Crow

collared crow

flores crow

Voting ended onJun 13, 2024

[corvid-tournament]

Flores crow won! Round 5 posting shortly.

[corvid-tournament]

Corvid Tournament Corvus Bracket Round 4: Eastern Carrion Crow vs Northwestern Crow

Eastern carrion crow (corvus corone orientalis): The eastern carrion crow is distinguished from the western carrion crow by its size and range. It is a relatively large, all-black bird at 50cm/20in long and more graduated tail feathers. It is found across much of Asia, from Japan to Eastern Iran and Tibet. Its conservation status is “least concern."

Northwestern crow (corvus brachyrhynchos caurinus): This is a subspecies of the American crow and is generally smaller than other American crows (40-50cm/16-20in) and has a very distinct, hoarse caw. Their range is the Pacific temperate rain forests along the coast of the northwestern US and western Canada. They were once considered their own species and are now not only a subspecies but, as of 2020, are considered a regional variant of the western crow (c. b. hesperis), another subspecies of the American crow. Their conservation status is “least concern."

Eastern Carrion Crow vs Northwestern Crow

eastern carrion crow

northwestern crow

Voting ended onJun 13, 2024

[corvid-tournament]

Northwestern crow won! Round 5 posting shortly.

[corvid-tournament]

Corvid Tournament Corvus Bracket Round 4: Common Raven vs Pied Crow

Common raven (corvus corax): The moment you’ve all been waiting for! Along with the thick-billed raven, it is the largest corvid at 63cm/25in long. They are all black with a greenish shine to their plumage and a large, distinct nasal feather. It has the largest range of the genus corvus, but it is classified as “holarctic,” meaning it is largely contained to the Northern Hemisphere. Their conservation status is “least concerned."

Pied crow (corvus albus): The pied crow is a larger bird at 46-52cm/18-20in long. It is all black except for its lower chest and neck which are white, giving it its name. It is the most wide-spread African species, spanning across nearly the entire continent south of the Sahara, including the island of Madagascar. Its conservation status is “least concern."

Common Raven vs Pied Crow

common

pied crow

Voting ended onJun 13, 2024

[corvid-tournament]

Common raven won! Round 5 posting shortly.

[corvid-tournament]

Corvid Tournament Corvus Bracket Round 4: Little Raven vs New Caledonian Crow

Little raven (corvus mellori): The little raven is an all-black bird with ranges in Southeast Australia. It is on average smaller than the Australian raven, ranging from 48-50cm/19-20in long. They are largely insectivorous, although like most in the genus corvus, they are likely opportunistic omnivores. Little ravens are also one of the species of corvids that have been recorded using tools. Their conservation status is “least concern."New Caledonian crow (corvus moneduloides): Sometimes called a “qua-qua” due to its distinctive sound, this bird is an all-black crow with feathers that sometimes shine green in certain lighting. It is roughly 40cm/16in long, and has a distinct beak as the tip of its lower beak angles up. It resides only on the islands of Grande Terre and Maré Island in New Caledonia. This crow is truly omnivorous and has been heavily documented on its tool use. They have even been observed to use meta- and compound tools, but they do not pass the mirror test. Its conservation status is “least concern."

Little Raven vs New Caledonian Crow

little raven

new caledonian crow

Voting ended onJun 13, 2024

[corvid-tournament]

New Caledonian crow won! Round 5 posting shortly.

[corvid-tournament]

Corvid Tournament Corvus Bracket Round 4: Little Raven vs New Caledonian Crow

Little raven (corvus mellori): The little raven is an all-black bird with ranges in Southeast Australia. It is on average smaller than the Australian raven, ranging from 48-50cm/19-20in long. They are largely insectivorous, although like most in the genus corvus, they are likely opportunistic omnivores. Little ravens are also one of the species of corvids that have been recorded using tools. Their conservation status is “least concern."New Caledonian crow (corvus moneduloides): Sometimes called a “qua-qua” due to its distinctive sound, this bird is an all-black crow with feathers that sometimes shine green in certain lighting. It is roughly 40cm/16in long, and has a distinct beak as the tip of its lower beak angles up. It resides only on the islands of Grande Terre and Maré Island in New Caledonia. This crow is truly omnivorous and has been heavily documented on its tool use. They have even been observed to use meta- and compound tools, but they do not pass the mirror test. Its conservation status is “least concern."

Little Raven vs New Caledonian Crow

little raven

new caledonian crow

Voting ended onJun 13, 2024

[corvid-tournament]

One day left! Get your votes in!

[corvid-tournament]

Corvid Tournament Corvus Bracket Round 4: Common Raven vs Pied Crow

Common raven (corvus corax): The moment you’ve all been waiting for! Along with the thick-billed raven, it is the largest corvid at 63cm/25in long. They are all black with a greenish shine to their plumage and a large, distinct nasal feather. It has the largest range of the genus corvus, but it is classified as “holarctic,” meaning it is largely contained to the Northern Hemisphere. Their conservation status is “least concerned."

Pied crow (corvus albus): The pied crow is a larger bird at 46-52cm/18-20in long. It is all black except for its lower chest and neck which are white, giving it its name. It is the most wide-spread African species, spanning across nearly the entire continent south of the Sahara, including the island of Madagascar. Its conservation status is “least concern."

Common Raven vs Pied Crow

common

pied crow

Voting ended onJun 13, 2024

[corvid-tournament]

One day left! Get your votes in!

[corvid-tournament]

Corvid Tournament Corvus Bracket Round 4: Eastern Carrion Crow vs Northwestern Crow

Eastern carrion crow (corvus corone orientalis): The eastern carrion crow is distinguished from the western carrion crow by its size and range. It is a relatively large, all-black bird at 50cm/20in long and more graduated tail feathers. It is found across much of Asia, from Japan to Eastern Iran and Tibet. Its conservation status is “least concern."

Northwestern crow (corvus brachyrhynchos caurinus): This is a subspecies of the American crow and is generally smaller than other American crows (40-50cm/16-20in) and has a very distinct, hoarse caw. Their range is the Pacific temperate rain forests along the coast of the northwestern US and western Canada. They were once considered their own species and are now not only a subspecies but, as of 2020, are considered a regional variant of the western crow (c. b. hesperis), another subspecies of the American crow. Their conservation status is “least concern."

Eastern Carrion Crow vs Northwestern Crow

eastern carrion crow

northwestern crow

Voting ended onJun 13, 2024

[corvid-tournament]

One day left! Get your votes in!

[corvid-tournament]

Corvid Tournament Corvus Bracket Round 4: Collared Crow vs Flores Crow

Collared crow (corvus torquatus): The collared crow is a mid-sized bird at 52-55cm/20-22in long. Is easily distinguished by its white coloration pattern that wraps around the back of its neck, shoulders, and chest, leaving a black strip down its front, hence its name. It is otherwise black. Its territory is mostly eastern China, though it does not live North of Beijing. It is a true omnivore and has been shown to adapt to urban environments. Its conservation status is “vulnerable” (“near threatened” in China as of 2018) due to reduced food accessibility caused by increased pesticide use. They are currently under observation of the World Wildlife Fund, though aside from this, large scale conservation efforts have been implemented.

Flores crow (corvus florensis): The Flores crow is a small, all-black bird that lives on the island of Flores, Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Its conservation status is “endangered” due to habitat loss caused by deforestation, parasitism by cuckoos, and generally being regarded as pests by locals. Proposals for conservation measures have been made, but nothing has been enacted. The most recent information I could find is this.

Collared Crow vs Flores Crow

collared crow

flores crow

Voting ended onJun 13, 2024

[corvid-tournament]

One day left! Get your votes in!

[corvid-tournament]

Corvid Tournament Corvus Bracket Round 4: Collared Crow vs Flores Crow

Collared crow (corvus torquatus): The collared crow is a mid-sized bird at 52-55cm/20-22in long. Is easily distinguished by its white coloration pattern that wraps around the back of its neck, shoulders, and chest, leaving a black strip down its front, hence its name. It is otherwise black. Its territory is mostly eastern China, though it does not live North of Beijing. It is a true omnivore and has been shown to adapt to urban environments. Its conservation status is “vulnerable” (“near threatened” in China as of 2018) due to reduced food accessibility caused by increased pesticide use. They are currently under observation of the World Wildlife Fund, though aside from this, large scale conservation efforts have been implemented.

Flores crow (corvus florensis): The Flores crow is a small, all-black bird that lives on the island of Flores, Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Its conservation status is “endangered” due to habitat loss caused by deforestation, parasitism by cuckoos, and generally being regarded as pests by locals. Proposals for conservation measures have been made, but nothing has been enacted. The most recent information I could find is this.

Collared Crow vs Flores Crow

collared crow

flores crow

Voting ended onJun 13, 2024

[corvid-tournament]

Corvid Tournament Corvus Bracket Round 4: Eastern Carrion Crow vs Northwestern Crow

Eastern carrion crow (corvus corone orientalis): The eastern carrion crow is distinguished from the western carrion crow by its size and range. It is a relatively large, all-black bird at 50cm/20in long and more graduated tail feathers. It is found across much of Asia, from Japan to Eastern Iran and Tibet. Its conservation status is “least concern."

Northwestern crow (corvus brachyrhynchos caurinus): This is a subspecies of the American crow and is generally smaller than other American crows (40-50cm/16-20in) and has a very distinct, hoarse caw. Their range is the Pacific temperate rain forests along the coast of the northwestern US and western Canada. They were once considered their own species and are now not only a subspecies but, as of 2020, are considered a regional variant of the western crow (c. b. hesperis), another subspecies of the American crow. Their conservation status is “least concern."

Eastern Carrion Crow vs Northwestern Crow

eastern carrion crow

northwestern crow

Voting ended onJun 13, 2024

[corvid-tournament]

Corvid Tournament Corvus Bracket Round 4: Common Raven vs Pied Crow

Common raven (corvus corax): The moment you’ve all been waiting for! Along with the thick-billed raven, it is the largest corvid at 63cm/25in long. They are all black with a greenish shine to their plumage and a large, distinct nasal feather. It has the largest range of the genus corvus, but it is classified as “holarctic,” meaning it is largely contained to the Northern Hemisphere. Their conservation status is “least concerned."

Pied crow (corvus albus): The pied crow is a larger bird at 46-52cm/18-20in long. It is all black except for its lower chest and neck which are white, giving it its name. It is the most wide-spread African species, spanning across nearly the entire continent south of the Sahara, including the island of Madagascar. Its conservation status is “least concern."

Common Raven vs Pied Crow

common

pied crow

Voting ended onJun 13, 2024