Common Raven

Quick Facts

Species Type

Native

Size

22 to 27 inches in length

Habitat

They live in forested and mountainous areas and build their nests high on cliff edges or in trees. In some parts of their range, common ravens can be found in urban areas, where they will build nests on structures like telephone poles or billboards.

Range

In the Chesapeake region, common ravens are found mainly in New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, but can also be found in western Maryland and Virginia. They can be found throughout North America.

Diet

Small animals, seeds and insects

Lifespan

Typically 13 years, though the oldest known common raven lived to be 80 in captivity

Conservation Status

Stable

Appearance

Common ravens are large, entirely black birds with shaggy throat feathers. They are about the size of hawks, growing to between 22 and 27 inches in length with a four-and-a-half-foot wingspan. Often confused with the American crow, the common raven is about one-third larger and has elongated and pointy throat feathers. In flight, it has a wedge-shaped tail. Males and females looks alike, although males are slightly larger.

Feeding

Common ravens are omnivores, meaning they will eat both plants and animals, although they mostly eat animals. They are also scavengers, and will feed on carcasses of dead animals. If they are unsure if something is edible, they will wait to see if another bird eats it and survives.

Predators

Common ravens have few predators, but coyotes, large hawks, eagles, owls, martens and other ravens may attack nestlings. Adults are good at defending their young and will chase predators away.

Flight

Common ravens are known to glide or soar, which they do more often than American crows. They are also acrobatic flyers, and will do rolls or somersaults in the air.

Voice

Common ravens are vocal animals, and have over 20 types of vocalizations for different situations. They have calls for alarm, comfort, chasing, fighting and advertising territories.

Reproduction and Life Cycle

Common ravens breed and lay eggs between mid-February and late May, with most clutches starting between March and April. Ravens lay between three and seven eggs. After hatching, both parents take care of young, which will stay in the nest for five to seven weeks. Ravens reach maturity at three years of age, and can live to be 13 years old in the wild.

Did You Know?

The common raven is the largest type of songbird.
Common ravens are extremely intelligent: they will hide surplus food and birds in captivity can recognize their handlers.
The oldest known common raven lived to be 80 in captivity.
Young ravens play games with sticks by repeatedly dropping them and diving to catch them in midair.
By the 20th century, ravens had disappeared from much of the east and Midwest. In recent years, they have expanded their range in the northeast and returned to once-occupied areas.

Sources and Additional Information

Animal Diversity Web: Corva corax – University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
All About Birds: Common Raven – The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Guide to North American Birds: Common Raven – Audubon

Tags:

Birds Songbirds Forests & Uplands