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Common Raven (Corvus corax) Alternate name(s): "Northern Raven" German name(s): "Kolkrabe", "Rabe" Size: 58-69 cm; wing span: 1.15-1.5 m Body mass: 0.7-1.6 kg Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.35-0.45

Europe: Family Group 23 Family Group 23 Table Eurasian Nutcracker Red-billed Chough Alpine Chough Eurasian Jay Western Jackdaw Hooded Crow Carrion Crow Rook Common Raven Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description The Common Raven is by far the largest corvid found in the northern hemisphere. In fact, they are the largest passerine bird species on Earth. The plumage is all glossy-black. Its most characteristic feature is the massive, dark-grey bill with a pronounced convex curvature of the upper mandible. Feathers line the base of the bill on both upper and lower side, but there are no hackles. The irises are dark; the legs and feet are dark-grey.

Taxonomy, classification See Common Raven at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Common Raven is available HERE . There are at least 8 different races of Common Ravens which, taken altogether, have a very wide-ranging distribution on the northern hemisphere. With only a few exceptions, Common Ravens are found basically everywhere between +30 and +70 degrees geographic latitude. These exceptions are the south-eastern US, parts of central and western Europe and parts of south-eastern Asia, where Common Ravens are absent. Along the coastline of Greenland they advance beyond +70 degrees latitude and in Mexico they are found as far South as +15 degrees latitude. In Europe nominate race "corax" is found as permanent resident almost everywhere, EXCEPT southern England, northern and central France, northern and central Germany and most of the Benelux countries and parts of northern Italy. Common Ravens are shy and have large territories. They tend to avoid human habitation and open farmland, staying preferably in extended woods and quiet, often near-coastal, areas, regularly nesting on cliffs.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "corax" J. Pires reports finding Common Ravens, nominate race "corax", semi-regularly in southern/central Portugal. Another was found at Sao Marcos da Ataboeira, Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, in February 2023. In July 2022, Common Ravens, race "corax", were also found at Casar de Caceres, Charca del Cojuge, Extremadura, Spain. H. Dahlem-Senger reports spotting a Common Raven, nominate race "corax", on Fehmarn island, on the Baltic coastline of northern Germany, in April 2016. In November 2016 a Common Raven, nominate race "corax", was spotted near Rüdesheim, Hessen, Germany, at a location which is outside the species' nominal range. Next H. Dahlem-Senger spotted a Common Raven, race "corax", near Matrei, Osttirol, Austria, in July 2017, at an altitude of ca. 2200 m. C. Pears encountered a Common Raven, race "corax", a member of a number kept at the Tower of London, England, in October 2014. G. Normand spotted a Common Raven, race "corax", at Kruje, Albania, in August 2021. Race "canariensis" D. Wilczynska reports spotting a Common Raven, race "canariensis", on Lanzarote, Canary Islands, in March 2017.

Photos

Race "corax"

This race is also called the "North Eurasian Raven".

ADULT

PAIR

Ventral view of two Common Ravens in flight - likely a pair in nuptial flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Albufeira dos Minutos, Montemor, Evora, Portugal, February 2025]

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of a Common Raven (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Couco, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, January 2022]

Near-lateral view of a Common Raven - note the very strong bill (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Divor river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2022]

Lateral view of a Common Raven in grassland on dunes on the Baltic coastline (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Fehmarn, Germany, April 2016]

Lateral view of a Common Raven on Tower Green (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Tower of London, London, England, October 2014]

Lateral view of a Common Raven (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Casar de Caceres, Charca del Cojuge, Extremadura, Spain, July 2022]

Near-dorsal view of a Common Raven (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2013]

Frontal/ventral view of a Common Raven in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2018]

Lateral view of a Common Raven in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2020]

Lateral/ventral view of a Common Raven in flight, with a clear view of its wedge-shaped tail (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2020]

Lateral/ventral view of a Common Raven in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2020]

Lateral/ventral view of a Common Raven in flight; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 2 February 2023
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sao Marcos da Ataboeira, Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

Lateral/ventral view of a Common Raven in flight; this bird is in a moult of its secondary flight feathers
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Herdade do Peso, Coruche, Portugal, May 2020]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Common Raven in flight; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 2 February 2023
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sao Marcos da Ataboeira, Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

Ventral view of a Common Raven in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Charca do Prates, Arraiolos, Evora, Portugal, April 2023]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Common Raven; note the pinkish bill (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, August 2014]

Race "canariensis"

This race is also called the "Canary Islands Raven".

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-dorsal view of a Common Raven; note the brown tint typical of this race (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[March 2017]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Feb - May?

Eggs: 4 - 6

Incubation period: 18 - 21 days

Fledging age: 35 - 49 days

Nest building: Male & female

Incubation: Female

Dependent care: Male & female

Nest

Type: Basket

Material: Sticks, twigs, roots, mud; soft lining

Height above ground: ?

Common Raven nest in a budding tree (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Lagunas de Villafafila, Zamora, Castilla e Leon, Spain, April 2024]

Eggs

Size: 48 x 34 mm

Colour: Bluish-green, with copious brown speckles

Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary/roaming

Elementary unit: Solitary

Common Ravens are mostly sedentary. Only in mountain ranges there are movements to lower altitudes to overwinter.

Food, Diet

Like all corvids, Common Ravens are opportunistic omnivores.

Lateral view of a Common Raven with its prey, a small snake (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Common Raven carrying a walnut, still with its fleshy outer parts attached; a comparison with the size of the nut, ca. 40-50 mm, illustrates the size of the bird and of its massive bill (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Rüdesheim, Hessen, Germany, November 2016]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

raven_dw_20170815.m4a	corax (Poland)	Contact calls?	© DW
raven_jp_20250206.m4a	corax (Portugal)	Contact call?	© JP
raven_jp_20230202.mp3	corax (Portugal)	Contact calls?	© JP

More Common Raven sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.