Raven

Meet a member of the intelligent Corvidae family, the Common Raven. Back to animal directory.

common raven

Corvus corax

LIFE SPAN: 50 years under human managed care.

RANGE: Ravens are found throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere. They are non-migratory in Alaska living from the Seward Peninsula to the Brooks Range, from mainland to the Aleutian Islands. They will travel short distances to cache food.

SIZE: Ravens are the largest all-black birds in the world. Wingspan of up to 4 feet.

PHYSICAL FEATURES: They have large, stout bills, shaggy throat feathers, and a wedge-shaped tail. 

FOOD: Omnivorous. Ravens are notorious scavengers, often visible while scavenging for food in urban areas. However they are classified as “ecological” or “functional” birds of prey because, like hawks and owls, they hunt and kill small animals such as mice. Like hawks and owls, ravens regurgitate undigested food items in a pellet form. 

BEHAVIOR: Courtship begins in mid-January. By March, adults form pairs and find nesting sights. Ravens lay 3 to 7 eggs. The female incubates the eggs while the male provides food. The eggs hatch after three weeks and the juveniles leave the nest after four weeks. Both parents feed the young by regurgitating food and water which is stored in a throat pouch. 

CONSERVATION: Protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Illegal to harm or possess any part, including feathers (unless permitted by USFWS).

PLANT NOTES: Ravens are highly omnivorous, meaning they eat a wide variety of plants and berries in addition to meat. They use vegetation for food, cover, nesting, perching and hiding stashes of food for later use. Unlike their cousins the crows, ravens will sometimes travel and live in more remote forests (especially to nest and raise young).