Common Raven

Common Raven (Corvus corax) is in the Crows, Jays, and Magpies family (Corvidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 76,998 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.

Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.

When to photograph Common Raven: observations by month (U.S.)

About Common Raven

The common raven (Corvus corax), also known as the northern raven, is a large all-black passerine bird. Found across the Northern Hemisphere, it is the most widely distributed of all corvids. There are at least eight subspecies with little variation in appearance, although recent research has demonstrated significant genetic differences among populations from various regions. It is one of the two largest corvids, alongside the thick-billed raven, and is possibly the heaviest passerine bird; at maturity,...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Common Raven by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related birds (Crows, Jays, and Magpies)

Blue JayCyanocitta cristata

American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos

California Scrub-JayAphelocoma californica

Steller's JayCyanocitta stelleri

Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia

Woodhouse's Scrub-JayAphelocoma woodhouseii

Canada JayPerisoreus canadensis

Fish CrowCorvus ossifragus

Photography tips

• Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
• Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
• Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
• Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.

FAQ