CLANG.

Umbran Crows are evasive little creatures. Twenty of these dodgy birds are hiding throughout the world of Bayonetta 2, and it's up to you to catch 'em all. Not only can locating each one be a task in itself, but possessing the requisite speed and skill to scoop them up before they're alerted to your presence is half the challenge. Don’t worry though, you’ll have unlimited chances.

After spending the past two weeks searching high and low, we've uncovered the location of every Umbran Crow and have whipped up a little guide to help you track them down. Not only will collecting the lot of them get you that much closer to 100%-ing Bayonetta 2, but they also unlock special stamps that can be used on Miiverse. That’s right – you’ll totally be rewarded for your efforts.

Umbran Crow Tips

But before we get to the guide, here are a handful of general tips that should help you to track and capture these Crows.

  • Activating the “Panther Within” (which is basically Bayonetta’s means of running) is helpful in catching majority of the twenty Crows. This can be done by double tapping the ZR button. If it's doable, you can also creep slowly toward the Crows and they won't be scared off.
  • You’ll have unlimited chances to catch each Crow. If you've botched your capture attempt and the sly Crow has vanished from sight, simply walk away from the immediate area until it flies back into view, then try again.
  • Listen for subtle audio cues indicating a Crow’s proximity. When they've been scared off, there's the faint sound of wings flapping, and when they return, listen for a "caw" as they land.
  • While the Crows themselves are black, each one is encompassed within a red glow that makes them easier to spot. Pan the camera around in each new room you enter and keep an eye out for any hint of red.
  • Crows are ALWAYS located within the environments. You won’t have to win any battles to unlock them, nor will they be tucked away in a chest. It’s also worth mentioning that they’re never found underwater.

WARNING: Before you advance any further, please understand that some of the details provided in the guide could be considered by some to be minor spoilers. We recommended playing through Bayonetta 2 before referring to the guide, or simply take it one chapter at a time without reading ahead.

Records of Time – The End

Number of Crows: NONE

Prologue — World of Chaos

Number of Crows: NONE

Chapter I – Noation, the City of Genesis

Number of Crows: 3

1.) After dropping into Noation, immediately head to the right and quickly hang another right. Straight ahead there will be a chest, and to the left of it will be a dock with a Crow residing on the end.

2.) This Crow is a bit tricky to obtain. Once reaching the plaza directly ahead from the starting point, you’ll see a series of columns in front of the building located at the deepest part of area. At the end of the left column is where the Crow is hiding. We aren't exactly sure what the expected method of reaching this area is, but we had to return to the stage after purchasing the “Crow Within” technique from Rodin at The Gates of Hell. With this ability at our disposal, we double jumped off the top of a nearby awning, then tied in a third jump off the building, and when we were at the highest point of that jump, we double tapped ZR to transform into a crow. It took a couple tries to fly over with enough height, but we eventually got it.

3.) Right after the inverted gravity sequence where Bayonetta squares off against a hulking Valiance, there will be an Umbran Crow on the balcony ledge that’s dead ahead. This one is practically impossible to miss.

Chapter II – Remembrance of Time

Number of Crows: 1

4.) After the first battle of the chapter you’ll hastily run across water with time slowed down. Following a cutscene with Loki, you’ll kick in a door and find a Crow will be settled on a crumbled pillar directly ahead.

Chapter III – Paradiso – The Gate of Paradise

Number of Crows: NONE

Chapter IV – The Two Meet

Number of Crows: 1

5.) Following the one-on-one battle between Bayonetta and an Urbane you’ll kick in a door. As soon as you pass through this doorway, look above to find power lines with a Crow hanging out on the higher end. Try double jumping into his personal space to catch him.

Chapter V – The Cathedral of Cascades

Number of Crows: 3

6.) The first of the three Crows in Chapter V is located right from the start of the stage. After saving Loki from drowning, if you look to the left side of the watery area in front of you, you should see a large collapsed structure sticking out of the water. In the window of this structure is where the Crow is hiding. Use panther speed to lunge over the water and toward the window to catch the bird as it tries to fly off.

7.) The next is located just beyond the underwater section that succeeds the area where the previous Crow was acquired. Once exiting the water, the Crow will be perched on a pillar through the doorway right ahead. Easy as pie.

8.) While climbing the stairs of the Grand Hall, pan the camera so that you’re viewing the pillar in the centre of the room. Closer to the top of the stairs you should notice a chest on one of the protruding platforms, and the last one of these platforms is where the final Crow of Chapter V resides.

Chapter VI – The Bridge of the Heavens

Number of Crows: NONE

Chapter VII – The Ark

Number of Crows: 1

9.) Upon entering the insides of Insidious you’ll be greeted with a battle against Hatred. Once he’s been knocked into next Tuesday, look on the right side of the room, which is where you’ll find a narrow pathway that leads to an opening housing the only Crow in this chapter.

Chapter VIII – An Ancient Civilization

Number of Crows: 2

10.) When you pass the first entrance to The Gates of Hell, you’ll come to a circular platform. Straight ahead there’s a chunk of the wall that’s missing, and to the left of that you should see the Crow.

11.) Following a battle against two heavily-armoured angels in a courtyard, you'll end up in a small room filled with water. Instead of plunging into the water, look up, where the last Crow of the chapter will be located on a ledge. Use a combination of double jump and wall jump to get close enough for capture.

Chapter IX – The Gates of Hell

Number of Crows: 2

12.) After the surprisingly easy fight against Malicious you’ll follow Loki across a bridge. As soon as you've crossed this bridge, look to the left to find a Crow relaxing on a crumbled column.

13.) When you jump through the portal in The Glittering Passage you’ll drop into a circular room with an entrance to The Gates of Hell right within view. So where’s the Crow? He’s exactly where you dropped in, actually. That means you’ll need to walk far enough from the area so that he’ll fly back into view, then run back to snatch him up.

Chapter X — The Depths

Number of Crows: 2

14.) When starting the stage you should notice a book sitting out in the open. Once you've collected it, jump to the second floating platform ahead and then look to the right, where you'll find another platform with a Crow on its closest edge. Unleash the Panther Within to double jump across and collect the Crow as he attempts to fly off.

15.) Following the battle with Resentment, you'll run along one of those centipede-body bridges to a new area. When arriving, the last Crow of the chapter will be on the lip of a boulder directly in front of you.

Chapter XI — Inferno and Its Ruler

Number of Crows: NONE

Chapter XII — The Lumen Sage

Number of Crows: NONE

Chapter XIII — Virgid,City of Deja Vu

Number of Crows: 3

16.) When you come to an entrance to The Gates of Hell, make a left and head outside. Directly ahead, just beyond the book, the Crow will be perched on the small wall.

17.) After crossing a collapsing bridge with large puddles of lava on it, you'll locate the next Crow on the opposite end. If you can't make it straight across before the bridge completely disconnects, you'll have an opportunity after climbing up the rock wall from the level below. We should admit that we weren't able to obtain this Crow during our sessions. It was the only one of the entire campaign that didn't return upon being scared off. We're unsure whether this is a glitch or not, but feel free to experiment and let us know if you figure it out.

18.) Upon entering a room with stained glass on the ceiling that casts green light onto the floor, look to the left. There you should see a Crow sitting along the wall, beside a pillar.

Chapter XIV — The Witch Hunts

Number of Crows: NONE

Chapter XV — Truth

Number of Crows: 1

19.) When starting in Sunrise and Crescent Valleys, which is after the battle against Loptr, turn directly around and walk to the edge. There you will find what's left of a bridge and a Crow keeping it company.

Chapter XVI — Sovereign Power

Number of Crows: 1

20.) Keep an eye on the left wall as you ascend the lengthy staircase directly ahead of the starting point, and the Crow shouldn't be too hard to spot. If you've purchased the "Crow Within" technique by this point, the easy way to catch the Crow is by flying (double tapping ZR while airborne) toward him from a more elevated spot on the staircase. When he attempts to fly away, he should fly directly at you, which makes nabbing him even easier.