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I'd appreciate some help identifying these three corvids I photographed in Austria during the Summer:

corvids

I know identifying corvids can be difficult and I'm not an ornithologist -- just an amateur bird watcher. After looking through many images of various crow species and their hybrids, I've tentatively identified these as:

  1. Carrion crow (Corvus corone)
  2. Carrion crow × Hooded crow (Corvus corone × Corvus cornix)
  3. Carrion crow × Hooded crow (Corvus corone × Corvus cornix)
    I initially believed this to be a Hooded crow (Corvus cornix), but the broken coloration on the wings made me think it might actually be a hybrid as well.

Can someone here either confirm my identification or provide a more informed identification?

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    $\begingroup$ Have you solved this yet? $\endgroup$ – Devashish Das Aug 6 '14 at 10:45
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1. Carrion crow (Corvus corone)

enter image description here

The plumage of carrion crow is black with a green or purple sheen, much greener than the gloss of the rook. The bill, legs and feet are also black. It can be distinguished from the common raven by its size (48–52 cm or 19 to 20 inches in length as compared to an average of 63 centimetres (25 inches) for ravens) and from the hooded crow by its black plumage

3. Hooded crow (Corvus cornix)

enter image description here

ashy grey bird with black head, throat, wings, tail, and thigh feathers, as well as a black bill, eyes, and feet.

2. This one is a bit more difficult, but I think it is also a hooded crow or possibly a hybrid Carrion crow × Hooded crow (Corvus corone × Corvus cornix).

enter image description here

Hybrid

At first glance, #2 looked somewhat like a Western jackdaw (Corvus monedula) because the grey feathers travel fairly high up on its neck and because the bird appears to be somewhat smaller.

Measuring 34–39 centimetres (13–15 in) in length, the western jackdaw is the second smallest member of the genus Corvus...The cheeks, nape and neck are light grey to greyish-silver, and the underparts are slate-grey. The legs are black, as is the short stout bill.

However, C. monedula has fairly conspicuous grey eyes and its feathers travel up the neck/head almost as far superiorly/anteriorly as the eyes. Neither appear to be the case in your specimen.

enter image description here

All three species are common in Europe.

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The first 2 are correct. The third one is actually a hooded crow. The different color of the wing depends on the generation of feathers. Feathers of different generations (changed during different time) are abraded (used) in a different way. The wing feathers of this guy are older than the rest.

Cheers and good luck birding :)

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    $\begingroup$ Thanks, can you show some images of hooded crows at different generations (or perhaps just their feathers) for comparison? $\endgroup$ – p.s.w.g Sep 16 '14 at 16:53

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