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Crows (Corvidae)

Slender-billed Crow (Corvus enca) - HBW 14, p. 619

French: Corneille à bec fin German: Spanish: Cuervo Picofino
Other common names: Little Crow(!); Violaceous Crow (pusillus, sierramadrensis, samarensis, violaceus)

Taxonomy: Fregilus Enca Horsfield, 1821, Java.
Until recently C. unicolor treated as race of present species. Races form two groups, "nominate group" (also with compilator, celebensis and mangoli) and "violaceus group" (including also sierramadrensis, pusillus and samarensis); these may represent two separate species, or possible that races in latter group, which differ vocally, consist of more than one species; further study required. Birds on Mentawai Is (off Sumatra) traditionally included in nominate race, but this seems unlikely; research required. Birds from Banggai Is (off E S.. View all taxonomy...

Taxonomy: Fregilus Enca Horsfield, 1821, Java.
Until recently C. unicolor treated as race of present species. Races form two groups, "nominate group" (also with compilator, celebensis and mangoli) and "violaceus group" (including also sierramadrensis, pusillus and samarensis); these may represent two separate species, or possible that races in latter group, which differ vocally, consist of more than one species; further study required. Birds on Mentawai Is (off Sumatra) traditionally included in nominate race, but this seems unlikely; research required. Birds from Banggai Is (off E Sulawesi) included in celebensis but may belong with mangoli; likewise, birds reported on Karakelong (in Talaud Is) and Siau placed with celebensis, but confirmation of race needed. Recent sight record of a family party of crows resembling present species on W coast of Sumba, in Lesser Sundas, may represent an undescribed taxon. Eight subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • compilator Richmond, 1903 - Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra (including Simeulue and Nias I, off W coast) and Borneo.
  • enca ( Horsfield, 1821) - Mentawai Is (off W Sumatra), Java and Bali.
  • celebensis Stresemann, 1936 - Sulawesi (and nearby small islands of Manterawu, Manadotua, Lembeh, Bangka, Talisei, Togian Is, Salayar, Basa, Buton, Bonerate and Tukangbesi Group), Banggai Is and Talaud Is.

     See all 8 subspecies
  • compilator Richmond, 1903 - Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra (including Simeulue and Nias I, off W coast) and Borneo.
  • enca ( Horsfield, 1821) - Mentawai Is (off W Sumatra), Java and Bali.
  • celebensis Stresemann, 1936 - Sulawesi (and nearby small islands of Manterawu, Manadotua, Lembeh, Bangka, Talisei, Togian Is, Salayar, Basa, Buton, Bonerate and Tukangbesi Group), Banggai Is and Talaud Is.
  • mangoli Vaurie, 1958 - Sula Is, off E Sulawesi.
  • sierramadrensis Rand & Rabor, 1961 - mountains of N & C Luzon, in N Philippines.
  • pusillus Tweeddale, 1878 - Mindoro, Calamian Group and Palawan (and nearby Dadagican and Balabac), in W Philippines.
  • samarensis Steere, 1890 - Samar and Mindanao, in S Philippines.
  • violaceus Bonaparte, 1850 - Seram and Ambon, possibly also Buru, in S Moluccas.

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