Corvus corax
adult
David Osborn: Common Raven.
The Common Raven is the largest songbird in North America. The sexes are similar, and adults have a uniformly black plumage with an iridescent, oily-looking sheen. The bill is massive and dark, the legs are black, and the throat appears shaggy. Juveniles are similar to adults but the eye has a paler iris and there is a brownish tinge to the plumage. In flight, all birds have a long, wedge-shaped tail. The Chihuahuan Raven C. cryptoleucus is slightly smaller (Length 20 in/51 cm) but virtually identical in the field.
The Common Raven is a year-round resident, typically seen in pairs although larger groups gather in winter when the feeding is good. The diet is varied but the species often scavenges at carcasses in winter. Common Ravens are very aerobatic in flight, able to soar with ease but often tumbling, twisting and turning in mid-air. The Chihuahuan Raven is a resident of arid southwestern habitats. Outside the breeding season it often forms large, nomadic flocks.
adult
adult
FACT FILE
LENGTH 24–25 in (61–63.5 cm)
FOOD Omnivorous and opportunistic feeder
HABITAT Wide range of habitats, from tundra and upland forests to farmland
STATUS Widespread and common resident
VOICE Call is a deep, resonant cronk
