Cape Crow (Corvus capensis) [XC613614]
by isaac kilusu from Theewaterskloof Local Municipality (near Grabouw), Overberg District Municipality, Western Cape, South Africa (alarm call)
Cape Crow (Corvus capensis) [XC167945]
by Peter Boesman from Malealea area, Mafeteng, Lesotho (call)
Subspecies
Has been suggested that this species could form a superspecies with Rook (Corvus frugilegus), but there are major differences between the two, not least in nesting habits, the most apparent similarity between them being the pointed bill. Subspecies, although geographically disjunct, are not well marked.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
kordofanensis Laubmann, 1919 - South-eastern Sudan, northern Eritrea, most of Ethiopian Highlands, northern and south-eastern Somalia, south-eastern Uganda, western and central Kenya and extreme northern Tanzania.
capensis Lichtenstein, 1823 - From central Angola, western Zambia and Zimbabwe south to South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho; possibly also south-western Mozambique.