Jankro
Also spelled: John Crow, Jancro, Jankraw
Meaning
The turkey vulture, a black carrion-eating bird; by extension, a contemptible, low, or scavenging person who preys on others' misfortune.
Examples
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“Di jankro dem a circle roun di dead cow.”
The vultures are circling around the dead cow.
Literal use referring to the bird itself.
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“Yuh nuh betta dan a jankro, tief off di dead man tings.”
You're no better than a vulture, stealing the dead man's things.
Figurative insult for someone who exploits tragedy.
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“Jankro seh im a dawg because im nyam everyting.”
The vulture claims he's a dog because he eats everything.
Fragment of the proverb mocking someone who pretends to be more than they are.
Origin
Commonly said to derive from 'John Crow'; one popular theory links it to an eighteenth-century preacher named John Crow, though the bird name is the older and more reliable sense.
How it's used
Neutral when naming the bird, but strongly insulting when applied to a person. Central to several Jamaican proverbs about greed and false pride.