Furthermore, crow witches are able to harness the latent magic within the teeth or bones of other caste members and make use of the birthright abilities from other caste members. Due to their immunity, they offer mercy for those who are suffering from the plague and safely dispose of the bodies. Instead, they are immune towards the sinners plague, a highly contagious and incurable disease that has ravaged Sabor for centuries.

Lastly, there is the Crow caste which only consists of the Crows who have no birthright. In the Common caste there are Gulls whose birthright is the wind, Pigeons whose birthright is luck, and Sparrows whose birthright is refuge/hiding. In the Hunting caste there are Hawks whose birthright is blood/healing, Cranes whose birthright is the truth, Owls whose birthright is memory, and Vultures whose birthright is hunting. In the Splendid Caste there are Peacocks whose birthright is of glamour, Swans whose birthright is desire, and Doves whose birthright is artistry. The Phoenix caste only consists of Phoenixes whose birthright is fire and are the ruling family of Sabor. The caste system is divided into 5 categories: Phoenix, Splendid, Hunting, Common, and Crow. Within each caste, there are a select few known as 'witches', individuals who possess a more potent version of their respective caste birthrights. Each caste has its own unique birthright magical ability that is innately present in every person born into a specific caste. Society is governed by a monarchy and is split into a caste system. The Merciful Crow is set in the fictional land of Sabor. It was released in 2019, and published by Henry Holt and Company. The Merciful Crow is a fantasy novel by Margaret Owen.

The merciful crow book