Hooded Crow distribution

[Wild-Woman]

Just curious to know whether it is unusual to see Hooded Crow as far south as we did yesterday. We spotted 2 and a rook in heather on the cliff pathway at Hengistbury Head in Dorset.
First time I've seen Hooded and am now wondering if we saw the sub-species or not.

[actionfinch]

I've seen em in hemel if that helps ..(herts)

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Just curious to know whether it is unusual to see Hooded Crow as far south as we did yesterday. We spotted 2 and a rook in heather on the cliff pathway at Hengistbury Head in Dorset.
First time I've seen Hooded and am now wondering if we saw the sub-species or not.

It would be extremely unusual to see Hooded Crows in Dorset at this time of year. They do occur in the county, in very small numbers, as passage & winter visitors (with most in March to May and October), but there are very few 'official' records for July and August. "The Birds of Dorset", published in 2004, states that there were just three in July and two in August between 1950 & 1998, with three or less annual records for the majority of years during the same period (hybrids are excluded from these totals).

This doesn't mean that you didn't see Hooded Crows (I saw one in the Camarque last July), but it should give you some idea of how unusual the record would be.


Incidentaly, many authorities - including the British Ornithologists Union - now treat Hooded Crow and Carrion Crow as seperate species (the BOU adopted this split in 2002).

[Wild-Woman]

Thanks for this Roy. Do you think I should get hold of someone today to get this recorded. I have shots, location, even time. I did think it unusual.
Who should I contact?

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by actionfinch

I've seen em in hemel if that helps ..(herts)

If this was recent (in the last 25 years or so) it would also be extremely unusual - unless I missed one the last 'official' Hooded Crow record published in the Hertfordshire Bird Report by the Herts Natural History Society was a single bird at High Wych on 25th October 1985!
Not all birds that are seen get reported, and some genuine records may get rejected as "unproven", but it gives you an idea of how regular they are in the county now. They used to be a more regular winter visitor, and were once know locally as the 'Royston Crow'.

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Thanks for this Roy. Do you think I should get hold of someone today to get this recorded. I have shots, location, even time. I did think it unusual.
Who should I contact?

The Dorset bird club would be the people to get in touch with (they publish the county bird report).
dorsetbirds.org.uk

[htcdude]

Originally Posted by actionfinch

I've seen em in hemel if that helps ..(herts)

You sure they weren't Jackdaws? If there were a Hooded Crow in Herts I'd be straight down there!

Nige

[nightshade]

I have seen some "mottled" crows in the Dorset/Cornwall area, at first I thought they were Jackdaws. This must have been 16 years ago but I am not a birder.

[Wild-Woman]

Originally Posted by nightshade

I have seen some "mottled" crows in the Dorset/Cornwall area, at first I thought they were Jackdaws. This must have been 16 years ago but I am not a birder.

These were definitely not jackdaws. Definitely hooded crow and not crows with mottling of any kind. They were very distinctive.
I'm getting hold of someone today to record the sightings.

I'll get my other half to upload some shots later- he's at work at the moment.
Mine were done with a macro lens on - so not the best.

[Wild-Woman]

Just spoken to the county recorder for birds in Dorset. He thanked me for the record and explained that HC's have actually bred there before and these would most likely to have been their offspring. He said that they are seen very occasionally and would be passing my record to the Christchurch Harbour Ornithologists group too.

I'm quite pleased.