Candlestick patterns
Three black crows
Usually bearish
Three consecutive strong down candles, each opening within the previous body and closing near its low.
What a three black crows tells you
Sustained selling across three periods. Frequently marks the start of a distribution phase after a top.
Why it forms
Persistent supply with no bid stepping in.
How traders enter it
Most traders wait for a weak bounce rather than shorting the third candle.
How it fails
Like its bullish twin, the pattern is extended by the time it is complete and often precedes a sharp relief rally.
That last section is the one worth rereading. A pattern is only useful because it comes with a level that proves you wrong — without one you have a shape and a hope.
People also ask
Is a three black crows bullish or bearish?
A three black crows is usually read as bearish, but only once it confirms. Before the confirming break it is a shape, and shapes fail. Context decides more than the label does.
How do you trade a three black crows?
Most traders wait for a weak bounce rather than shorting the third candle.
When does a three black crows fail?
Like its bullish twin, the pattern is extended by the time it is complete and often precedes a sharp relief rally.
Can ChartLens spot a three black crows for me?
Yes. Photograph or screenshot any chart and ChartLens names the pattern if it is clearly formed, with a confidence level and whether it is forming, confirmed or failed — and says nothing if it is not there.
Last updated .