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Common Raven

Common Raven

Corvus corax

Audubon Illustration

Audubon illustration of Common Raven

John James Audubon, Birds of America (1827-1838). Public domain.

Range & Recent Observations

Common Ravenis a year-round resident and doesn't follow a migration flyway. See the Range tab for where it lives.

Last Spotted Near You

View on eBirdWikipedia

About the Common Raven

The common raven or northern raven (Corvus corax) is a large all-black passerine bird. It is the most widely distributed of all corvids, found across the Northern Hemisphere. There are 11 accepted subspecies with little variation in appearance, although recent research has demonstrated significant genetic differences among populations from various regions. It is one of the two largest corvids, alongside the thick-billed raven, and is the heaviest passerine bird; at maturity, the common raven averages 63 centimetres (25 inches) in length and 1.47 kilograms (3.2 pounds) in weight, up to 2 kg (4.4 lb) in the heaviest individuals. Although their typical lifespan is considerably shorter, common ravens can live more than 23 years in the wild.

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name
Corvus corax
Family
Crows, Jays, and Magpies
Order
Passeriformes

Similar species

Other members of the crows, jays, and magpies family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.

  • American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
  • Azure-hooded Jay Cyanolyca cucullata
  • Azure-winged Magpie Cyanopica cyanus
  • Black-billed Magpie Pica hudsonia
  • Black-throated Jay Cyanolyca pumilo
  • Black-throated Magpie-Jay Cyanocorax colliei
  • Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata
  • Brown Jay Cyanocorax morio
  • California Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma californica
  • Canada Jay Perisoreus canadensis
  • Chihuahuan Raven Corvus cryptoleucus
  • Clark's Nutcracker Nucifraga columbiana

Know when the Common Raven turns up near you

Add it to your watchlist and draw an alert zone around the places you actually bird. Birdr checks eBird reports and tells you when one is seen inside it.

How rare bird alerts work →

Gear for spotting Common Raven

Optics

Best Binoculars for Beginners

You don't need to spend a fortune. These four pairs will get you birding confidently on day one.

8 min readRead guide
Cameras

Cameras for Bird Photography

From phone adapters to dedicated rigs, here's what actually works for capturing birds in the field.

12 min readRead guide
Optics

Spotting Scopes for Distance Birding

Essential for shorebirds, raptors, and anything too far for binoculars. Our tested picks.

9 min readRead guide