Pied Crow at Motril Granada on March 2009 [Cuervo Pío en Motril, Granada en marzo 2009]

Pied Crow Corvus albus. Motril 1.3.2009 © Juan Pérez Contreras


On 1st March 2009, a Pied Crow (Corvus albus) was found at Motril harbour, Granada (Beatriz Pérez Machado y Juan Pérez-Contreras). A digiscoping photo was taken but the author, J.Pérez-Contreras claimed that it was not taken in optimum conditions due to high wind and lack of an attachment to the scope. The bird was feeding on rubbish until it was disturbed by cats and pedestrians:

"Te adjunto foto aunque no es de calidad debido a digiscoping en malas condiciones (mucho viento y sin adaptador). El ave no tenía ningún tipo de marcaje y volaba perfectamente con un plumaje impecable. Estaba alimentándose de basuras hasta que fue molestado por gatos y transeúntes."


According to wikipedia, 'this species, Africa's most widespread member of the genus Corvus, occurs from Sub-Saharan Africa down to the Cape of Good Hope and on the large island of Madagascar, the Comoros islands, Aldabra, Zanzibar, Pemba and Fernando Po. It inhabits mainly open country with villages and towns nearby. It does not occur in the equatorial rainforest region'.

This bird (and others in Spain) have certainly arrived by ship from e.g. Red Sea or even tropical Africa. This status grants at least for a 'D' category since those are not escapes but birds that either could have reached Europe on their own thanks to their ability to board ships (A) or escapes.. but from where? Or where they C5 birds? A matter to be discussed...

Resumen. Cuervo Pío en Motril, Granada en marzo 2009. Se observó un Corvus albus el 1.3.2009 en Motril. Estas citas recientes en España, ciertamente asociadas a una llegada con barcos a puertos comerciales, deberian de analizarse para ver si son llegadas por los propios medios de las aves y merecerian alguna consideración en la lista española.