Species

Common raven

Corvus corax

The largest songbird in the world, a croaking, acrobatic black bird of the north Georgia mountains.

Photo Frank Schulenburg (opens in a new tab) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

Intelligence

At a glance

Size: About 56 to 69 cm long; wingspan about 1.2 m
Weight: About 0.7 to 1.6 kg
Habitat: Mountain forests, cliffs and ridges
Diet: Carrion, small animals, eggs, insects, fruit and scraps
In Georgia: An uncommon resident of the Blue Ridge mountains
Voice: A deep, croaking "kraaak" and many other calls
Rabies vector: No

Identification

Key marks: Very large, all black; heavy bill; shaggy throat feathers; long, wedge-shaped tail in flight; often soars
Told apart from: American crow, which is smaller with a square tail and "caw" call
Where to look: Soaring over mountain ridges and cliffs

Behaviour

Ravens are acrobatic fliers that roll and tumble in the air, apparently for play. They cache food, solve complex problems and communicate with many calls.

Why they matter

Ravens are among the most intelligent animals known, able to plan ahead and understand what other ravens can see. They were nearly eliminated from much of the East and have been returning to the Appalachians.

Reproduction and lifecycle

Nest — A large bowl of sticks on a cliff ledge or tall tree
Eggs — Usually four to six
Incubation — About 20 to 25 days
Chicks — Fed by both parents
Flight — At about five to six weeks
Lifespan — Wild birds over twenty years are recorded

Living around people

Ravens are wary of people and live mostly in remote mountains in Georgia.

Misconceptions

Ravens are just big crows. They are a separate species with different voices, shapes and habits.

Related species

Seasonal activity

When this species is breeding, and when there are nests on the ground. Mowing during the shaded months is how most nests are found.

Breeding and active nests by month for this species
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Breeding	Jan: no	Feb: no	Mar: no	Apr: no	May: no	Jun: no	Jul: no	Aug: no	Sep: no	Oct: no	Nov: no	Dec: no
Active nests	Jan: no	Feb: no	Mar: no	Apr: no	May: no	Jun: no	Jul: no	Aug: no	Sep: no	Oct: no	Nov: no	Dec: no
Notes	Pairs courting	Nest building	Incubating	Chicks	Young fledging	Families	Families	Present	Present	Present	Present	Pairs

Where it lives

Recorded in 72 states and provinces. Each one links to the other animals there, and to the rehabilitators licensed for them.

Canada

If you found one

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