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Common Raven (Corvus corax) — photo 1 of 4
© Accipiter (R. Altenkamp, Berlin) CC BY-SA 3.0

Crows and jays · Perching birds

Common Raven

Corvus corax

Year-round

Voice

Call

Christian Kahle

0:15

Call

Sonothèque ADVL

0:32

Call

Doug Hynes

2:00

How to recognize it

  • Large all-black corvid, much bigger than a carrion crow or rook

  • Heavy high bill, shaggy throat feathers

  • Long wedge-shaped tail, steady soaring with few wingbeats

  • Deep resonant croak or clear “krruk”/“tok” call

About the species

The Common Raven stands out by its heavy, compact shape and powerful bill. In flight, the long wings and wedge-shaped tail are the easiest clues, while on the ground it looks calm and self-possessed.

It is wary, but also remarkably clever. It can spend long stretches soaring, make sharp aerial turns, and on the ground it walks, hops before takeoff, and watches everything closely. Its voice is deep and rough, with a resonant croak and a sharp “tok”.

It fits woods, cliffs, coasts, mountains, and even old parks with tall trees. It eats almost anything edible, especially carrion, but also takes grain, berries, fruit, small animals, and human food waste, and in many places stays year-round.

Did you know?

  • Aerial police escort

    Instead of attacking intruders, a territorial raven pair may escort three strangers out of its domain by flying alongside them on either side, like an aerial police escort.

  • Eighteen months of wandering

    Once they leave their parents, young ravens spend a year and a half roaming in flocks of fellow wanderers, never lingering long even at rich feeds and respecting no one's territory.

  • Upside-down flapping defence

    Attacked from above by hooded crows, a raven flips onto its back mid-flight and keeps flapping, thrusting its clawed feet up at the attacker.

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Sources