The largest, and now the rarest, of the West Indian crows (2), the white-necked crow is a large, black corvid with a long, heavy, slightly down-curving beak, distinctive reddish-brown (or sometimes yellow) eyes, and a purplish or bluish gloss to the plumage. The bases of the neck feathers are white, giving this species its common name, although the white colour may not always be seen when the feathers lie flat. The beak, legs and feet are black (2) (3) (4) (5) (6). The face bears conspicuous, bristle-like ‘nasal’ feathers which, unlike in most other crows, do not completely cover the nostrils, and there is a patch of dark grey bare skin behind the eye and at the base of the beak (2) (3) (4) (5). The male white-necked crow is distinctly larger than the female, but otherwise similar in appearance (2).
The white-necked crow may be difficult to distinguish from the closely related Cuban crow (Corvus nasicus) and palm crow (Corvus palmarum), but is larger in size, has white rather than grey bases to the feathers, and has a more direct, less flapping flight (2) (3) (6) (7). The white-necked crow also has a distinctive voice, its complex repertoire including raucous, raven-like calls and an unusual, parrot-like babbling and squawking (2) (3) (6) (7) (8).
- Length: 42 - 46 cm (2) (3)