BIRD INDEX

Common Raven

Corvus corax

Start with these clues

Look for a heavy bill and a projecting wedge-shaped tail in favorable flight views.

Relative size: Large
Look around: Trees, Buildings
Region and season: Especially widespread in western and northern regions; local in the East.

American Crow has a less massive bill.

A photograph shows one individual and one view. Check several features, the date and a regional guide before settling on an identification.

Read the Audubon species account for fuller range, behavior and identification context.

On a perched bird, look for a heavy bill and often shaggy throat feathers.
An angled or partly folded tail can disguise its outline. Wait for a clearer flight view and use the tail together with other clues.