Torresian Crow > fostering â—‹

The Torresian Crow (Corvus orru), also known as the Australian Crow, is a native Australasian bird that actually play an important role in natural pest management. Common in the northern half of Australia, in their natural habitats that include grassland, woodland and even our urban gardens, they prey and feed on insects, small rats, and mice. The crows also feed on carrion, such as road kill. They also eat grain, fruit, and other invertebrates eggs. They have also adapted to the arid inland regions of Australia, mainly where there is permanent water.

The Torresian Crow are known to interact with other species of crows and ravens.

The Torresian Crow form monogamous relationships for breeding, establishing their territory. Their breeding season is usually between August and February. They build a bulky bowl shaped nests made of sticks and lined with grasses. Their nest are usually built high, but in the shady section of eucalypts, although they are also known to build their nest-sites on power poles, pylons and even windmills.

The female usually lays a clutch of four to five bluish, spotted eggs. When hatched the young are fed by both parent birds. The young usually fledge from five to seven weeks, although they remain with the parents for up to three months.

The Torresian Crow has the typical white iris of other Australian species of the genus Corvus, with a fine blue eye-ring.

Torresian Crows and Little Crows can often be confused, as they are very similar in appearance. They also occur alongside each other in same habitat. Whilst some sources have the Torresian Crow as larger then the Little Crow, the size is not always a reliable guide, as small Torresian Crows do occur. One feature is the Torresian Crow has a more bulky bill, as well as there being differences in their calls.

The Torresian Crow are also one of the species whose nests are used by the Channel-billed Cuckoo, who will lay their egg in their nest.

Check out our information about the Channel-billed Cuckoo and images of the Torresian Crow feeding the juvenile cuckoo.


  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Chordata
  • Class: Aves
  • Order: Passeriformes
  • Family: Corvidae
  • Genus: Corvus
  • Species: C. orru
  • Binomial name: Corvus orru

Footnote & References

  1. Torresian Crow, eBird, https://ebird.org/species/torcro2
  2. On the Field Characters of Little and Torresian Crows in Central Western Australia, by PJ Curry, 2016, https://www.birdlife.org.au/afo/index.php/afo/article/viewFile/1318/1849