THE HOODED CROW 
CORVUS CORNIX 
LocaL names in surrounding counties: ‘“‘ Grey Crow,” 
“¢ Grey-back,” “ Hoody,” ‘* Dun Crow ” (Essex). 
Stratus 1N British Avirauna: A common and widely 
distributed resident in Scotland and Ireland, but a winter 
visitor only to England and Wales, instances of its breed- 
ing being most exceptional. Vast numbers visit our islands 
in autumn from the Continent. 
Rapr1at DistrRiBUTION WITHIN FIFTEEN MILES OF ST. 
Paut’s: A century ago the Hooded Crow is said to have 
been a very common bird near London. It is like a good 
many other species that once were common here but now 
only remain as traditions, such as the Kite, for instance, 
which in the days of long ago performed much of the 
scavengering of the streets. It is difficult to assign any 
reason for the comparative scarcity nowadays of the Hooded 
Crow within the Metropolitan area. Whether the species 
ever bred regularly near the Metropolis appears to be 
unknown. Certainly it never does nest now, and can 
only be regarded as a rare winter visitor, occurring at odd 
times and places, stragglers, apparently, from further north 
and east, where the bird is a commoner one at that season. 
It is said to be observed almost every winter on Wimbledon 
Common, and is also a regular if scarce wanderer to the 
Epping district. I have no records of this species from any 
of the urban parks or squares, although it is by no means 
improbable that the bird occasionally visits these spots. 
The traveller by rail on any of the north-bound trains 
from the Metropolis is sure to see the Hooded Crow here 
and there in the fields an hour or so’s run from town, 
between the months of November and February. These 
birds are winter migrants, part of the vast hordes of 
Hooded Crows that cross the North Sea every autumn 
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