Analysis of biometric and DNA data to determine the sex of Hooded Crows Corvus cornix in northwest Italy

In this paper we propose criteria for sexing Hooded Crow Corvus cornix, belonging to different age groups, in northwest Italy. Morphometric data were validated by molecular sexing, which offers a valid and reliable method to sex birds. The results suggest that tarsus and head + bill length provide the best biometric criteria for sex determination in the Hooded Crow, because these measurements do not change with age. We propose linear discriminant functions based on the tarsus and head + bill length, or on the head + bill length alone.