Chihuahuan Raven Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  A large-bodied, thick-necked bird with a heavy, straight bill. The wings are fairly long and often show “fingers” at the tips. The tail is long with a slight wedge or diamond shape.

  Relative Size

  Larger than an American Crow, smaller than a Common Raven.

  crow-sized

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 18.1-20.9 in (46-53 cm)
    • Weight: 15.6-23.5 oz (442-667 g)
    • Wingspan: 40.9-43.3 in (104-110 cm)

• Color Pattern

  Sleek black overall, including bill, legs, and feet. The nape feathers have white bases, but these are usually not visible except when the birds display or during high winds.

• Behavior

  Forms flocks year-round, even during nesting season. A very versatile forager that eats fruit, grains, small animals, eggs, nestlings, and carrion, and is equally good at foraging in the air, in trees, or on the ground. Courting pairs perform acrobatic tandem flights.

• Habitat

  Nests in deserts and grasslands with scattered trees and shrubs, as well as in shortgrass prairie. Occasionally uses pinyon-juniper hills and stream corridors with cottonwood or sycamore. Also winters in these habitats but also moves into areas with agriculture, landfills, and cattle operations.