carrion crow

American  

noun

1. a European crow, Corvus corone, that feeds on carrion.

2. black vulture.

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carrion crow British  

noun

1. a common predatory and scavenging European crow, Corvus corone, similar to the rook but having a pure black bill See also hooded crow

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Etymology

Origin of carrion crow

First recorded in 1520–30

Example Sentences

Jiří Hřebíček created an artistic image of a carrion crow by using a long shutter speed while moving his camera on purpose.

From BBC • Oct. 8, 2024

To the west, the skies belong to the carrion crow.

From Nature • Jun. 19, 2014

Since his labor-peace dove was discovered to be an old black carrion crow, John L. Lewis has scarcely raised his eyes from the pavement.

From Time Magazine Archive

Flem's father, the vicious Ab Snopes, wore neither blue uniform nor grey, but was a carrion crow on Civil War battlefields.

From Time Magazine Archive

The weather-cock was a carrion crow, with an arrow in its beak to point to the wind.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White