Corvidae have a large number of species endemic to eastern Asia which suggests they may have originated in the Far East. In 1990 Sibley and Ahlquist enlarged the family to include Cuckooshrikes, Birds of Paradise etc, placing the Corvids together in Corvinae subfamily. Other authorities consider Corvidae to be a far smaller family consisting only of Corvids (Crows and Jays) and place Orioles (Oriolidae), Drongos (Dicruridae), Woodswallows (Artamidae) in families of their own.

Typical Corvids have predominantly glossy black plumage with a metallic sheen. Their black plumage offers some advantages in cold surroundings since black absorbs warmth from sunlight most effectively and radiates less heat. Juvenal plumage is not significantly different to that of adults, although the feathers are softer and duller in color. However there are other physical differences, usually in the eye or bill color. The mostly black Corvus genus is the biggest and most wide ranging of all genera. These birds represent the highest stage in avian evolution. Their brain-to-body ratio is almost equal to that of dolphins and only slightly lower than that of humans. All Corvus species are gregarious to some extent. The degree of social interaction is dependent on factors such as season, age and family relationships.

The following species of the Corvidae family are found in India:

White-tailed Iora  (Aegithina nigrolutea) - widespread resident
Common Iora  (Aegithina tiphia) - widespread resident
Ashy Wood-swallow  (Artamus fuscus) - widespread resident
White-breasted Wood-swallow  (Artamus leucorynchus) - local resident
Green Magpie  (Cissa chinensis) - local resident
Large Cuckoo-shrike  (Coracina macei) - widespread resident
Black-headed Cuckoo-shrike  (Coracina melanoptera) - widespread resident
Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike  (Coracina melaschistos) - widespread resident
Bar-bellied Cuckoo-shrike  (Coracina striata) - local resident
Common Raven  (Corvus corax) - local resident
Carrion Crow  (Corvus corone) - local resident & sparse winter visitor
Rook  (Corvus frugilegus) - sparse winter visitor & migrant
Jungle Crow  (Corvus levaillantii) - widespread resident
Large-billed Crow  (Corvus macrorhynchos) - local resident
Eurasian Jackdaw  (Corvus monedula) - local resident & sparse winter visitor
House Crow  (Corvus splendens) - widespread resident
Andaman Treepie  (Dendrocitta bayleyi) - local resident
Grey Treepie  (Dendrocitta formosae) - local resident
Collared Treepie  (Dendrocitta frontalis) - local resident
White-bellied Treepie  (Dendrocitta leucogastra) - local resident
Rufous Treepie  (Dendrocitta vagabunda) - widespread resident
Bronzed Drongo  (Dicrurus aeneus) - widespread resident
Andaman Drongo  (Dicrurus andamanensis) - local resident
Crow-billed Drongo  (Dicrurus annectans) s
White-bellied Drongo  Dicrurus caerulescens) - widespread resident
Hair-crested Drongo  (Dicrurus hottentottus) - widespread resident
Ashy Drongo  (Dicrurus leucophaeus) - widespread resident
Black Drongo  (Dicrurus macrocercus) - widespread resident
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo  (Dicrurus paradiseus) - widespread resident
Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo  (Dicrurus remifer) - local resident
Eurasian Jay  (Garrulus glandarius) - local resident
Black-headed Jay  (Garrulus lanceolatus) - local resident
Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike  (Hemipus picatus) - widespread resident
Black-naped Monarch  (Hypothymis azurea) - widespread resident
Pied Triller  (Lalage nigra) - local resident
Spotted Nutcracker  (Nucifraga caryocatactes) - local resident
Black-naped Oriole  (Oriolus chinensis) - local resident & sparse winter visitor
Eurasian Golden-Oriole  (Oriolus oriolus) - widespread resident
Slender-billed Oriole  (Oriolus tenuirostris) - local resident
Maroon Oriole  (Oriolus traillii) - local resident
Black-hooded Oriole  (Oriolus xanthornus) - widespread resident
Mangrove Whistler  (Pachycephala grisola) - local resident
Short-billed Minivet  (Pericrocotus brevirostris) - local resident
Small Minivet  (Pericrocotus cinnamomeus) - widespread resident
Ashy Minivet  (Pericrocotus divaricatus) - vagrant
White-bellied Minivet  (Pericrocotus erythropygius) - widespread resident
Long-tailed Minivet  (Pericrocotus ethologus) - local resident
Scarlet Minivet  (Pericrocotus flammeus) - widespread resident
Rosy Minivet  (Pericrocotus roseus) - local resident & sparse winter visitor
Grey-chinned Minivet  (Pericrocotus solaris) - local resident
Black-billed Magpie  (Pica pica) - local resident
Yellow-billed Chough  (Pyrrhocorax graculus) - local resident
Red-billed Chough  (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) - local resident
White-throated Fantail  (Rhipidura albicollis) - widespread resident
White-browed Fantail  (Rhipidura aureola) - widespread resident
Yellow-bellied Fantail  (Rhipidura hypoxantha) - local resident
Large Woodshrike  (Tephrodornis gularis) - widespread resident
Common Woodshrike  (Tephrodornis pondicerianus) - widespread resident
Asian Paradise-Flycatcher  (Terpsiphone paradisi) - widespread resident
Red-billed Magpie  (Urocissa erythrorhyncha) - local resident
Gold-billed Magpie  (Urocissa flavirostris) - local resident

Note: The Tibetan Ground-Jay  (Pseudopodoces humilis) has been renamed  Tibetan Ground-Tit and moved to the Paridae family